Identification and Validation of Social Media Socio-Technical Information Security Factors with Respect to Usable-Security Principles

The goal of this manuscript is to present a research finding, based on a study conducted to identify, examine, and validate Social Media (SM) socio-technical information security factors, in line with usable-security principles. The study followed literature search techniques, as well as theoretical and empirical methods of factor validation. The strategy used in literature search includes Boolean keywords search, and citation guides, using mainly web of science databases. As guided by study objectives, 9 SM socio-technical factors were identified, verified and validated. Both theoretical and empirical validation processes were followed. Thus, a theoretical validity test was conducted on 45 Likert scale items, involving 10 subject experts. From the score ratings of the experts, Content Validity Index (CVI) was calculated to determine the degree to which the identified factors exhibit appropriate items for the construct being measured, and 7 factors attained an adequate level of validity index. However, for reliability test, 32 respondents and 45 Likert scale items were used. Whereby, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α-values) were generated using SPSS. Subsequently, 8 factors attained an adequate level of reliability. Overall, the validated factors include;1) usability—visibility, learnability, and satisfaction;2) education and training—help and documentation;3) SM technology development—error handling, and revocability;4) information security —security, privacy, and expressiveness. In this case, the confirmed factors would add knowledge by providing a theoretical basis for rationalizing information security requirements on SM usage.

Social Media Impact on Tourism Destination Decision: Evidence from International Students in China

Technological advancement has led to the adoption and usage of social media among businesses including tourism sector to disseminate information and communicate with customers more effectively. Due to the limitless capabilities that social media provides, it is gradually transforming diverse business ecosystems. This study seeks to assess at the impact of social media on tourism destination decision-making from foreign students in China context. From the background of Uses and Gratification theory, a quantitative research approach was used to achieve the sole of the present study. This study used an online questionnaire tool to obtain response, validated using a Partial Least Square and Structural Equation Modeling and SPSS statistical software to analyze 271 samples of foreign students in China. The findings of the study show that behavioral intentions have a positive and significant effect on tourism destination decision-making, and social media significant direct influence on tourism destination decision making. Furthermore, tourists’ satisfaction can enhance tourism destination decisions when mediated by social media usage. The research findings would help tourism service providers to identify and select social media platforms as a marketing strategy for tourism competitiveness.

Motivations of Individuals Participating in Social Media： A Cultural Perspective

Social media is an information technology that allows users to communicate and share information. With steadily rising number of users across the globe, individuals participate in various activities, like connecting with friends and community members, sharing information, posting political messages, disaster recovery activities, reading daily news, learning, and entertainment, each driven by different sets of motivations. Culture has an influence on the kind of motivation―pro-social and personal needs oriented―that drives social media usage by individuals. Using Hofstede’s （1984b） cultural dimensions, the paper suggests that each of the dimensions will have influences on the social media behaviors differently. Such a cultural perspective helps future social media users to plan the kind of activity and information sharing based on the kind of motivation driving the target audience and the platform providers to design and market accordingly.