Which Social Media Platform Do Malaysian Students Love the Most?

With so many social media platforms these days, it’s difficult to even keep track, what more to post daily updates. Privacy issues, cyberbullying and ransomware have been looming large on our sites lately and we can’t help but be shrouded with thoughts of whether we’re going to be the next victims. As newer social media sites jump on the bandwagon each trying to outdo the other, it would be logical to think that people would get bored of the old hats, Facebook and Twitter. Some sites have better features, more user-friendly and cater specifically to the user’s needs. So which one is the best? Let the battle of social media begin!

The top three social media platforms

Among the top three choices of social media for university students are Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp -Image via Jackson State University

According to an article by New Straits Times, Monash University Malaysia and University of Malaya (UM) recently conducted a survey among 422 Malaysian students about which social media platform is their favourite. A staggering 90% use social media to connect with their friends and family while 83% use it to get news updates. Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram emerged as the top three… Woohoo!

Instagram

Instagram is a social media platform that is straightforward with its content and it is very popular among young people - Image via decdeg

Coming in at No. 3 is Instagram with 12% of students using this platform. You can see why students love it so much. The volumes of pictures, unique features and cute boomerang selfies certainly fill our need to see and be seen. Instagram, which boasts short, straight-to-the-point posts, has attracted students both from public and private universities alike. Up till today, Instagram is only 7 years old and has steadily grown in membership since. It has a whopping 700 million active users monthly. Why is it so popular you ask? Well, probably because their parents are not there like they are on Facebook.

Whatsapp

Whatsapp can be used as a replacement for traditional SMS and even phone calls because it doesn’t cost your phone bill - Image via Start Chat

Users will definitely be pleased with the huge number of emojis, new WhatsApp Status update and video calls. WhatsApp is determined to stay ahead of the game by being the second most used social media platform at 35%. It is no coincidence that the majority of students voted WhatsApp as the safest and most trusted platform among all. WhatsApp has taken the initiative to protect privacy with various features, which is why we love it so much. Just by a difference of 3%, WhatsApp stands a pretty good chance at being the top.

And the winner is…

Facebook

Both Instagram and Whatsapp are bought by Facebook - Image via Wikimedia Commons

Facebook is still No.1 despite being one of the first social media sites, constituting 38% of polled users. With various unique features like games, groups, Facebook live, etc., it is not only surviving, but thriving. One of the reasons why Facebook is so popular till today is because more and more Gen X (a.k.a. our parents) are into it. Since Facebook is so condensed with advertisements, videos and posts, it has become increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. With a massive of 1.94 billion active users monthly as of March 2017, there is little competition. Mark Zuckerberg keeps his crown and legions of adoring users!