Perceived Benefits and Risks of Social Media: Ethiopian Secondary School Students’ Perspectives

Abstract

Recent findings show teenagers use social media increasingly in their daily life. There is also a consensus that social media have both pros and perils on students' academic affairs. The objective of this study is to assess how Ethiopian secondary school students perceive the benefits and risks associated with social media use. Data were collected from 353 secondary schools students through self-reported questionnaire. The findings reveal that the leading perceived benefits of social media are recreational and relational purposes. The role social media play in students' academic activities is likely less considered. As a pilot study in a developing country, this study may raise awareness of schools, teachers, and parents about the benefits and risks of using social media for teenager students. Thereby, there will be future researches that enable them to effectively monitor their students to use social media primarily for academic purposes.