Occam's Razor

Volume 5 (2015) Article 5

2015

Social Media Usage Among University Students in

China
Bryana Bohl
Western Washington University, bryana.bohl@wwu.edu

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Recommended Citation
Bohl, Bryana (2015) "Social Media Usage Among University Students in China," Occam's Razor: Vol. 5 , Article 5.
Available at: https://cedar.wwu.edu/orwwu/vol5/iss1/5

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 Bohl: Social Media Usage

SOCIAL
MEDIA
USAGE
AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
IN CHINA

B Y B R YA N A B O H L

INTRODUCTION

Social Media is connecting the world in a way no other technology has before. People around

36 the world are connected to one platform or another, and check in or post almost every day.
From the birth of a royal baby to what’s happening on the ground in Syria, we can receive
live updates from next door to half way across the planet. As a subcontinent where over 513
million people use the Internet and 300 million are using social media sites, China has the
most active Internet users in the world (Chiu, Ip, and Silverman, 1). The people in China spend
about [40%] of their time online using social media, playing games, for academia, for business
et cetera (Chiu, Ip, and Silverman, 1). Subsequently, Chinese and United States’ social media
users occupy their own space on the Internet because each sub continental country has their
own platforms, media coverage, language, interests, beliefs, and identities. In that regard, each
country’s social media conception and growth have mostly been separate and largely unknown
to outside users despite the fact that each sphere shares similar digital-age experiences.

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 Occam's Razor, Vol. 5 [2017], Art. 5

The research question I investigated while in China was: faculty that SNSs are famously known for today (Boyd
how do college-aged Chinese citizens use social media and Ellison. 2014). Similarly, a popular SNS in China
and what are their current interests and/or concerns called QQ “started as an instant messaging service”
with social media use, if any? There is importance in before it had SNS features such as personalization and
this research question because of how many young “friending” capabilities; “QQ instant messaging service
adults around the world are immersed in social media. instantly became the largest SNS worldwide when it
Additionally, there may be issues linked with intensive added profiles and made friends visible” (Chiu, Ip, and
social media use among youth, such as addiction, which Silverman, 1). Once these capabilities became prevalent
is a significant concern among parents and teachers on social media sites in the United States, new sites
that still appear to be misunderstood outside academia. such as Facebook were designed with “identity driven
The ethnographic emic perspective of young adults categories in mind” (Boyd and Ellison. 2014). There
regarding social media has not been collected or studied. are now sites for specific religious sects, dating sites for
Meanwhile, we are all part of this expanding era of certain age groups, and SNSs created for specific ethnic
“digital natives” (Schwartetal. 206). Young people, myself user populations. Contemporary SNSs offer personal, 37
included, are people of the future. How will we continue professional, and dating profiles. More popular sites like
to explore the bounds of technology with social media? Facebook, which began as a site exclusively for Harvard
How will we explore the potential of social media and students, eventually branched out to include practically
the present and future concerns associated with it? anyone and everyone. Parents and teachers use Facebook
now, potentially making the site “less cool” to many
When studying such a topic, it is important to familiarize
teenagers and young adults. From what I have heard from
oneself with the history and current events of the topic.
friends my age, the latest trend for students today is to
The United States Social Media Networks (SNSs) have
join new SNS platforms that are widely unknown to the
come a long way since their conception in the early
adult SNS demographic; one such platform in the US,
2000s (Boyd and Ellison. 2014). Many of the initial
and now at Western Washington University, is Yik-Yak.
sites began as simple instant messaging platforms
without the profile-centric and friend network-centric

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 Bohl: Social Media Usage

media platform among the college students is social

networking and the most popular provider is Facebook
THE INTEREST IN STAYING (Williams et al. 2014). Though the results may not be
surprising, it reveals that Facebook is a network where
CONNECTED AND KEEPING
every college student is or could be connected to friends
UP WITH THE DAY-TO-DAY from practically anywhere across the nation. Connection
ACTIVITIES OF THEIR ONLINE via technological social networks appears to be the theme

FRIENDS HAS BECOME ICONIC of this generation. The Higher Education Research
Institute in the United States, reported that on average
OF AMERICAN YOUTH CULTURE.
students in American higher education institutions are
using nine different social media platforms and twelve
different providers, which imply that students connect
over various platforms for various interests (Williams et

Every day SNSs are unfolding new and innovative al. 2014). There are five social media behaviors that this

ways to connect people unlike never before and college study tested for: Spectator, Creator, Joiner, Collector, and

students are just one demographic of Internet and SNS Critic (Williams et al. 2014). Seventy three percent of

users. My literature review includes information from students consider themselves to fit into more than one of

contemporary literature about international college the social media personalities (Williams et al. 132). The

student social media use as well as literature focusing concept of having multiple social media personalities is

on China’s young social media generation. Through fascinating because it demonstrates how students interact

contrastive research of American social media use, I will with social media: they watch, produce, connect, share,

create comparisons with the findings from China. and critique. This concept also expresses the autonomy of
social media. Students are able to express various personal
interests and behaviors among the hundreds of social
LITERATURE REVIEW media platforms available.

Present-day college-aged adults are known as “digital Social media is a particularly popular facet of college
natives”; they are those who have grown up around students’ lives in the United States. From keeping up
digital communication (Schwartz et al. 2014). As such, with hometown relations and adding new friends to
38 modern college-aged adults are highly involved in social following their favorite celebrities, students consistently
media. Studies done by the Pew Internet and American keep up with social media. One study aimed to show
Life Project show that between 67% and 75% of college- how Facebook influences “real world engagement” of
aged young adults (who may not necessarily be enrolled college students ( Junco. 2014). In the study, conducted
in college) use social networking websites ( Junco. 2014). with 5,414 college students, which tested the relationship
The interest in staying connected and keeping up with
the day-to-day activities of their online friends has
become iconic of American youth culture. However,
the important issue is not just that they are involved
but how they are involved in social media. In a research
study conducted by an American university on the east
coast, researchers found that the most popular social

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 Occam's Razor, Vol. 5 [2017], Art. 5

would influence their grades when used between the

professor and the students. Such questions have been
tackled in a study published in the Journal of Computer
Assisted Learning, yielding conclusive results about the
engagement of students when involved in social media
conversations outside the classroom with “educationally
relevant purposes” ( Junco et al. 2014). The study
had many positive effects on the students in the test
between the frequency of “Facebook use and student group. Among these benefits were a greater increase
engagement” and the frequency of “Facebook activities in engagement scores, positive effects on grades, and
and student engagement”, it was found that “students interpersonal connections created using Twitter ( Junco.
participated in a variety of Facebook activities…viewing 2014). Additionally, the Higher Education Research
photos, commenting on content, and checking in to Institute found that Twitter created a “culture of
see what others are doing being the three most popular engagement” between the students and their instructor
activities” ( Junco. 2014). While there was an overall ( Junco, Heiberger, and Loken, 129). While on the
negative correlation between Facebook use and student surface Twitter appears to be a phenomenal technological
engagement, there was positive predictability of student education tool, it is actually simply the infrastructure
engagement when “commenting on content and creating for a comfortable space that breaks free of “traditional
or RSVP’ing to events” on students Facebook profiles classroom discussion boundaries”, such as time limits,
( Junco. 2014). Depending on how Facebook is used specified topics, and rewarded extraversion ( Junco.
by the student, student engagement can be positively 2014). Students in the test group experienced greater
linked. Only certain activities were predictive of student benefit from a democratized platform of communication.
engagement, especially when online participation puts However, despite the positive results, this study is not
students in a position to socialize offline, such as how representative of the entire American higher education
RSVP’ing to an event leads to a higher likelihood of system or of international higher education. This study
their attendance. used self-response methods, which is why there should
be more ethnographic research into technology use for
Faculty members in higher education have also noticed
educational purposes.
the use of social media like Twitter among their
students. A few of my professors at Western Washington 39
University appear eager to latch on to students social
media use and incorporate it into academic discussion.
Be that as it may, among the various courses I have taken HIGHER EDUCATION
in the last three years, there has been little to no action RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOUND
taken by professors toward incorporating social media
THAT TWITTER CREATED A
into the classroom. Withal, the lag in educational use
of social media does not necessarily mean that there is
“CULTURE OF ENGAGEMENT”
no interest in the subject at all. Professors may be wary BETWEEN THE STUDENTS
of testing out a current and somewhat distracting extra- AND THEIR INSTRUCTOR.
curricular activity in the context of academics. They
may query how a microblogging site like Twitter could
affect their students’ learning in class, or how Twitter

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 Bohl: Social Media Usage

At this point in my research I have not come across any within Chinese academia as well. New media has yet
scholarly work about the use of social media in China to be harnessed by any breadth of educators at major
for educational purposes. The information that I found universities in China or the U.S.
regarding Internet usage and social media is focused on
In China, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter are all
Internet addiction and how to lessen usage in the urban
banned by the government (China Blueprint Online
schools where kids have plenty of new media exposure.
2014). However, China has achieved near “information
However, the educators at one middle school in an
sovereignty” by creating domestic email systems, search
impoverished rural village hours outside of Lanzhou,
engines, and versions of social media for the nearly one
China are eager for students to get exposure to the
and a third billion people who inhabit China (Diamond
Internet since they are in such a rural area. The school
and Plattner 2012). These resources are set up specifically
does not have many technological resources ergo they
to serve a large Chinese population with distinctively
encourage any chance for the students to experience
Chinese platforms. By the same token, the Chinese
the resources provided on the Internet. Even computer
social media sector has limited Western infiltration and
classes, which the students enjoy immensely, are not
Western countries have scarce information regarding
40 offered in this district. Despite scholarly enthusiasm,
social media in China.
even if educators have considered implementing social
media into the classroom, there seems to be no observable Media coverage of China’s social media and Internet
momentum for China or the United States in this regard. rights is consistently about censorship and government
Perhaps the reasoning is due to several realities about control. A recent article published in China Digital
social media incorporation: it is considered a distraction Times was titled “Censors Keep Mainland in the Dark
by many, it is not mainstream education, it is not widely About HK Protests.” It appears to be widely known
established to improve the educational atmosphere, and, outside of China that the Chinese government is
in some cases, it may require major revamping of the censoring their information and blocking information
curriculum. This widespread discomposure may resonate from the rest of the world. According to a new media

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 Occam's Razor, Vol. 5 [2017], Art. 5

professor Clay Shirky (2014) who teaches at New York

University, “Authoritarian governments [like China]
stifle communication among their citizens because MEDIA COVERAGE OF CHINA’S
they fear, correctly, that a better coordinated populace SOCIAL MEDIA AND INTERNET
would constrain their ability to act without oversight”.
RIGHTS IS CONSISTENTLY
Periodically the Chinese government preforms in-person
“crackdowns” at Internet cafes, not necessarily for concern ABOUT CENSORSHIP AND
of “access to Western ideas” but because of a concern for GOVERNMENT CONTROL.
leaking of government information (Dillon, 2009). For
whatever reasons the government may have to block
access and censor, it may not have a huge effect on the of addictive traits among young adults who use social
interests and concerns of Chinese college aged students media (Wu et al. 2011). However, the research of college
who are using social media; because such a small portion students has occurred in the Republic of China and
of the population is affected by censorship. The ultimate Taiwan yet not among college students in the People’s
question that keeps reoccurring in the democratic Republic of China or Mainland China. In Taiwan, there
developed world is: “do digital tools enhance democracy?” is a word that means “room-bound male”; “Chai-nan”
(Shirky 2014). Events such as the fall of the communist is someone who spends much of his waking hours on
party in the Republic of Modolva, the Million People the Internet engaged in social media, games, and other
March in the Philippines, and protests in Spain were all non-academic Internet activities (Wu et al. 2011). At the
organized via social media. Likewise, Chinese citizens National Chiao Tung University researchers are interested
could obtain social media power to mobilize against the in the emergence of RBM’s (room-bound male) and
government (Shirky 2014). Therefore, it is important to especially how other students perceive them. At four
be prepared to ask questions that concern the Internet universities, surveys were given to both male and female
rights of Chinese citizens, but not expect to get responses students from each year as well as graduate students. The
of concern equivalent to those of the U.S. media. The surveys were composed of statements, which had the
U.S. media tends to use a democratic paradigm when students answer on a scale of 1 to 5 (Wu et al. 2011).
analyzing and reporting on China. Students may be more The statements included self evaluation and evaluation
concerned with more tangible and observable topics of others (Wu et al. 2011). In the results section, the
regarding social media usage among their demographic. researchers claimed that professors and student-affairs

China’s large population has experienced great increases

officers have observed specific behaviors where RBMs 41
“spend most of their time in their residence” and have the
in social media access and in turn social media use. In
leisure to do so since Taiwan campuses now have food
the past decade, researchers have investigated a tendency
delivery services in place (Wu et al. 2011). They also tend
to avoid face to face communication and prefer Internet
mediated communication when interaction is necessary
(Wu et al. 2011). While the idea that someone appears to
be confined in their dorm room for most of their college
experience may seem dire, the researchers acknowledge
that RBMs may find solace in the social communities

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From my own experience observing other American

RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT college students, I find that there are American

SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION counterparts to the Taiwanese and Chinese room bound
male (Wu et al. 2011). I knew people in my freshman
SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT
dorm that would play video games constently; they lived
WITH SUBSTANCE above me and their victory celebrations were usually
DEPENDENCE ADDICTION. quite loud. Consequently, it is not just the RBM types
that appear to need constant connection. On an average
day walking campus, I observe students using their smart

and interactions that they have over the Internet (Wu phones, laptops, or other Internet compatible devices.

et al. 2011). Researchers also acknowledge the results Wherever I go, whether travelling to someone’s house or

showing that “respondents tended to assign negative a new location, I find myself asking if there is free wifi. I

connotations to the term ‘room bound male’” and use of know of friends who will have to delete their Facebook

that term could be harmful to those considered to be an profiles in order to get through finals week without

RBM (Wu et al. 2011). Besides this study, there is a lack procrastinating. What is more, I know many people who

of information and understanding about RBMs and their share their life almost exclusively via Snapchat stories. It

Internet mediated social experiences among researchers. is the age of social media and the capabilities that are

Despite showing signs of new media addiction they available merely foreshadow the wave of social media

appear to have developed a personal social sphere in the technology to come. I am part of a generation that can text

digital world in which they can thrive (Wu et al. 2011). faster than it can type and promotes its political views on
Facebook. I believe that this generation of Americans has
The most prominent study on social media addiction in much in common, as far as social media, with its Chinese
China was conducted with middle school students as counterpart; we are the netizens, the bloggers, the friend
subjects. It is likely that the study intended to uncover ‘adders’ and ‘followers’, of the world. Our parents and
information in time for parents and teachers to discuss educators may believe we are the generation of Internet
and stage interventions with children found to have a addiction, but perhaps we are simply the forerunners of
social media addiction. Since there have been perceived a new way of life.
dependence issues with social media, “both researchers
and the Chinese government have paid a great deal
of attention to internet addiction problems among
42 adolescents in China” (Huang 2014). Researchers found
that social media addiction symptoms are consistent
with substance dependence (Huang 2014). The
symptoms that are usually seen among adolescents who
are considered addicted are “more emotional symptoms,
conduct problems, hyperactivity, and less pro-social
behaviors than the normal group” (Huang, 24). Although
only about fifteen percent of the middle school students
in the study were found to be addicts, social media is on
the rise and electronic devices are getting cheaper.

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RESEARCH METHODS

While in China, I collected most of my data via interviews

and observations of twelve individuals. Three interviews
were done with café workers where our research advisor,
Elena, aided as a translator. The other nine interviews
were done with graduate students: two of the interviews
were conducted on pairs of students and the seven
others were done individually. The demographics of my
interlocutors, to my knowledge, were: eleven raised in
China and one raised in India, nine graduate students
(two students from Renmin University of China, four
students from Zhejing University, and three students
from Lanzhou University), one international student,
three café workers, six male identifying and six female
identifying, all of whom appeared to be in their twenties.
The interviews ranged from about five minutes of
impromptu conversation with the café workers to
arranged interviews of an hour with the graduate
students. I also interviewed the students over WeChat
after returning to Washington state. WeChat proved to
be a valuable research tool for me, not only giving me the
opportunity to add students and chat with them while
in China, but also to continue the conversation from the
United States. Everyone I interviewed was interested
in conversing with me and voicing their thoughts
when I asked them questions. Notably, the difference
I observed between Lanzhou university (LZU) and
Zhejing university (ZJU) is their English abilities. ZJU
students were able to understand and respond with much
more comprehensive English than the LZU students,
therefore the interviews went much more smoothly for

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 Bohl: Social Media Usage

both parties with the ZJU students than with the LZU
students. Two of the students I interviewed are from
Renmin University, and I happened to meet them at a
café in Lanzhou. They were in town because they had
just taken a major college exam at LZU. I was lucky
to meet them and just as lucky that they spoke fluent
English. Understandably, the interviews with the better
English speakers proved to be more comprehensive than
add us on QQ, another major social media application
the interviews with those who understood very basic
in China; these students were excited to connect with
English.
us over social media. I think it is the culture of youth
In my research proposal I intended to do more in-depth today, Chinese and American alike. Another observation
examinations than I made in reality. The interviews were I made at ZJU is of an institution near the university
decidedly helpful for my research, hence I did not focus campus where students go to play virtual reality
on observation as much as I had originally planned. The computer games. The building had about 50 computers
information I observed, however, I have as headnotes. mostly occupied by male students. Perhaps this is a way
Headnotes is the anthropological term for notes that are to institutionalize the room bound male community in
not written down but remain in memory. On LZU and a physical space. Despite there being an abundance of
ZJU campuses I noticed that many people whom we met predominantly male players there was female presence
had smartphones and almost all of them had WeChat, a as well. I think this observation could undermine some
popular Chinese multifunctional messaging app similar aspects of the room bound male phenomenon being
to Facebook Messenger. Since only one of us American studied by researchers because there are situations, as I
students had phone data capabilities while in China, observed, where students are not isolated in their rooms
WeChat was a valuable way for us to connect with the when playing these virtual reality games.
graduate students on a day-to-day basis. It proved to be
a valuable tool for us, now back in the United States, in
FINDINGS
order to continue communication with the students in
China. Additionally, I observed that many of the middle I went into my data collection with the intent of learning
school students whom we met in Suichang were eager to about the use of social media by Chinese students. Via
44 my supportive interlocutors and further research my
questions for university students on Chinese social media

STUDENTS ARE EXCITED were answered. Social media connects many people in
China from the cities to the remote rural areas; social
TO CONNECT WITH US OVER
media is social connectivity.
SOCIAL MEDIA. I THINK IT
WeChat, QQ, RenRen, and Sina Weibo are among
IS THE CULTURE OF YOUTH
the most popular social media sites in China. QQ is an
TODAY, CHINESE AND older platform, starting up in 1999 that still maintains
AMERICAN ALIKE. popularity among young social media users today. QQ
offers many options for users including, but not limited

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 Occam's Razor, Vol. 5 [2017], Art. 5

WITH SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AND THE PROFILES OR

AVATARS THAT CAN BE CREATED, THERE SEEMS TO BE A
NEW WAVE IN DEFINING PERSONAL IDENTITY.

to, “text messaging, high-definition video calls (one- established among university students in China. Out of
on-one and group), online and offline file transmission, the four, QQ and WeChat seem the most popular among
customizable avatars, online games, [and] massive chat my interlocutors as they are fresh new media sites that
rooms” (QQ 2014). WeChat is like the younger sibling offer the latest in social media technology. With such
of QQ; WeChat is a newer platform that was launched trending technology, students in China are not likely to
by Tencent Inc., which is the same Internet provider that pass up the chance to use platforms like these.
founded QQ. The platform launched in 2011 as Weixin
Initial inquiries to my interlocutors were circled around
but was later changed to WeChat in 2012, broadening
what they like to post on specific social media sites as
its service to international users (Chao 2013). I would
well as what their friends like to post. The answers to
describe WeChat as Facebook messenger site with
this question give a sense of how people interact with
additional features like a newsfeed, games, and “people
their friends and followers on the various platforms. I
nearby”. RenRen launched in 2005 under the title
received answers like “career plan” and “life philosophy”,
“Xiaonei” before its current name was established. This
“jokes [from] the internet”, “news”, things that “happen
platform allows users to create a profile much like that of
to me” or “my feelings”, when “something embarrassing
Facebook. Individuals can create photo albums, upload
happened” to them. Friends who are Ph.D. students
videos, play games, listen and share music, all under the
post links to studies related to their research, articles 45
philosophy of “staying connected with old friends and
and videos, and there are advertisements from friends
making new ones” (RenRen 2014). Last but not least,
promoting their products. There is a wide range of
Sina Weibo is a micro-blogging site similar to Twitter
what people will post but it appears that all these
that launched in 2009 (Custer 2014). Its user-ship has
things are about profiling oneself among others and
been rocky over the past few years but some students
staying connected to others via forwarding or sharing
whom I spoke with still use this platform (Custer 2014).
things that other people will like. In this way, university
These make up the widely used platforms that are well
students maintain their friendships, “staying connected

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 Bohl: Social Media Usage

with old friends and making new ones” as the RenRen States, students tend to want to express themselves in
philosophy proclaims. These students form their Internet the best light possible over social media, either through
identities, posting about career plans, life philosophy, and their humor, achievements, knowledge, or their physical
advertisements for their products. They create a sense of beauty. I think there may be a particular interest in
self with their personalized avatar as a social media profile. defining yourself from the rest in China, contrasting with
This idea of identity sparked the question of whether the older generation which had been more interested in
these students feel that people are narcissistic on their collectiveness and the nail that sticks out gets pounded
social media profiles. When asked this question there was down type of mentality. With social media sites and the
some agreement among the students that there are “so profiles or avatars that can be created there seems to be
many people” who are self-important supported by the a new wave in defining personal identity. Although, as is
statement that “lots of people like to post their selfies” on made clear by these students, there are boundaries, such
social media sites. Hu explains why he agrees that there as posting too many details that are seen as adverse and
is narcissism on social media: “so many people believe narcissistic.
themselves are very important and they think others will
With all the excitement Chinese students feel toward
pay more attention…[to their] feelings or ideas” on social
these platforms, the topic of social media addiction
media sites. As Jie pointed out, “too [many] selfies” seem
is raised. How do the students view the amount social
to be the pinnacle of narcissism. This seems to be true on
media their generation consumes? I asked the students
social media all over the world. Selfies are a worldwide
whether they think there is social media addiction
trend, although according to Joy, another student, she
among university students. They were consistently in the
refrains more than her friends. Just as in the United

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 Occam's Razor, Vol. 5 [2017], Art. 5

affirmative about social media addiction among students

and were quick to use themselves as examples. Checking
their social media platforms “often” and “every hour”
is common, as Hu told me about his own use. Sherry
explained to me that “students count on [social media]
contact and communicate and [for] sharing”. There
convenience, which is a positive outlook on its prevalent
seems to be a growing reliance on social media like
usage. She also suggested that students should avoid
never before because it is the new media way to involve
becoming addicted to social media by not counting on
oneself socially. The students even feel that social media
it for all communication, and perhaps people should be
is replacing text messaging and talking on the phone. Jie
encouraged to meet in person and do more activities
expressed her regret that her and her boyfriend spend
with friends and classmates. Her approach is to not avoid
time on social media while waiting for food at the
social media altogether, but to self-monitor one’s social
restaurant. She confessed, “that’s bad” and that she is
media use and to encourage others to be physically social.
“working on it” when it comes to her addictive behaviors
Joy and Jie reflected on their own social media use and
toward social media. The many new applications on
described the amount of social media use as a way in
social media in China today perpetually raises a sense
which people choose to “spend their time”. Joy blames
of urgency to know what is happening even when there
social media addiction on people rather than the fact that
are no notifications. Four of my interlocutors described
social media is ubiquitous. Jie perceives that those who
themselves as “frequently” checking their social media,
spend so much time on social media have little else to
one of the main occasions being when they are bored. For
do, unlike her. Students seem to think that social media
students social media serves the purpose of entertainment
usage is to be controlled by the individuals themselves,
as well as communication since many of the students
although Sherry did have one suggestion. Social media
look at their sites even when they were not prompted
has become a natural part of life and monitoring social
by notifications or any desire to post for themselves.
media usage could be compared to monitoring your
They check their sites during downtime to see if there is
diet—everything in moderation. Jie acknowledged that
something “funny” or “interesting” happening. It appears
social media can be distracting at times and she shared
that these students are quite aware of their social media
her method of “[putting] her phone away” when she
usage and the usage of other students.
needs to work or study. University students do not seem

When asked if something should be done about to be complacent about their social media usage but the

student social media usage in China, the students had desire to stay connected in the era of new media remains. 47
a variety of answers. Sherry replied that “social media is
Social media platforms are widely used by university
everywhere in [their] life” and that social media brings
students in China, so I figured that students were likely
to have opinions about censorship of social media. The
further I delved into the topic of censorship the more
I discovered about the relationship between the people
and their government. What is important to know about
this relationship between the people and the government
is that it is not one of hatred; the Chinese students do not
hate the government but given they are not completely
satisfied, they are not interested in complete overthrow
of the government as westerners may think. One student

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 Bohl: Social Media Usage

from Zhejing University told me that “western media

simplifies the situation in China” in regard to the
people-government relationship. It is not surprising that
American media would sensationalize a complicated
issue such as this seeing as the issue of freedom of speech
is one that westerners hold dearly and are strongly
Americans have freedom of speech, some of which have a
opinionated about.
tendency to abuse their right. Over social media, there is a
According to a journal article done by researchers at continuous slamming of the president and the government
Harvard, “the Chinese censorship effort is designed to in every way possible that is seems the important issues
limit the freedom of speech of Chinese people” (King et are not always addressed. As with the Affordable Care
al. 2014). Nevertheless, the more likely scenario is that Act, people and the media were more focused on how
“the Chinese censorship effort is designed to…reduce the the new healthcare bill is so thick in volume and about
probability of collective action” and incidentally “limits the website accessibility rather than what the act says
the freedom of speech of the Chinese people” as well and provides U.S. citizens. It seems that in some cases
(King et al. 2014). It is evident that one main goal of the freedom of speech can create more drama than public
Chinese government is to quell any collective uprising action. Some Americans will talk constantly over social
or demonstrations, which results in limited freedom of media about government but not always step forward and
speech amongst the Chinese people. Still, I do not have contribute time or money to any public cause.
the impression that the government wants to oppress
From the perspective of Chinese students like Jie, social
their citizens into silence when it comes to political
media is not a political platform but one where she can
issues, rather they want to maintain a harmonious nation
post funny cat videos and keep up with her friends on
and maintain the one party government by defusing
the “moments” feed of WeChat or the Qzone feed
protest. The amount of people who are affected by
on QQ. She commented, “most ordinary people don’t
censorship on social media sites is negligible.
express politics on SNS”. Jie herself would not express her
political voice on social media as she believes “it is too
hard to be neutral”. Her use of social media, like many
American students, is to keep up with friends and sharing
her non-political interests with them.
48 IT SEEMS THAT IN SOME
CASES FREEDOM OF SPEECH Another major question that I had for the university
graduate students whom I interviewed was whether their
CAN CREATE MORE DRAMA
professors use social media to interact with students and
THAN PUBLIC ACTION. for what purpose(s) they use it to interact. From the
literature review, I gathered information about a handful
of universities in the United States that have tested social
media such as Twitter as an educational application,
creating a autonomous setting in which all students would

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 Occam's Razor, Vol. 5 [2017], Art. 5

THE INTEGRATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA INTO THE

CONTEXT OF EDUCATION SEEMS TO BE EMERGING IN
AT LEAST TWO UNIVERSITIES FOR SOCIAL PURPOSES
AND ONE FOR AD HOC EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

get equal opportunity to participate beyond the hour to social media to spark academic discussion and to foster
two hours allotted for a class session. However, I did not an academic community for university courses could be
find any academic writing regarding Chinese students a very good thing. What does appear to be happening
that focus on social media correspondence between in China are ad hoc social and academic conversations
professors and students. I asked my student interlocutors between a few professors and students.
whether their professors use social media and if so, how
they use it to correspond with students? The response I
received from three of my interlocutors is their professors DISCUSSION
did use social media to correspond with students, and a
Compared to the studies in the literature review for this
fourth interlocutor said that they have never experienced
research paper, the data collected for my research question
inclusions of social media in the classroom. Sherry told
are dissimilar in two main ways: the data were collected
me that “especially some young professors” use social
from interviews and by a university student versus by
media to communicate with students but for social
professional researchers. In my initial research of peer
purposes, not educational. However, when Jie responded
reviewed journals online I did not come across literature
to my question she said that her professors will “answer
where an American university student collected data on
questions” including “math questions” over social media.
student counterparts in China; a faculty-led study abroad
She has experienced professors who use social media
creates unique circumstances and opportunities in and of
platforms for both social and educational purposes. The
itself. The literature focuses mainly on the perspectives 49
integration of social media into the context of education
of educators and researchers due to the fact that they
seems to be emerging in at least two universities for
are conducting the research. The data I collected are
social purposes and one for ad hoc educational purposes.
important additions to the current literature because
What is not happening, according to the information
the information is from the perspective of the users
from my interlocutors, is the purposeful integration of
themselves. To compare the results from my data and
social media by professors into the curriculum. Using
that of the scholarly work mentioned in my literature
review, there are very different focuses. The university
student interlocutors have different interests than the
educators who teach them. Moreover, the reality of the
matter is that students, myself included, have different
priorities than educators when it comes to social media.

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 Bohl: Social Media Usage

any means. What it does is shed light on answers from

a small portion of the human experience within China.
PERHAPS THERE CAN BE
A MERGER OF STUDENTS’ I think my data could benefit the future of social media
and how it is designed to work for students as well as
SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND
educators. Currently, Chinese educators and researchers
EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL. are discussing issues with social media use (i.e. social
media addiction). Perhaps there can be a merger of
students’ social media use and educational potential. I
In researching my question about social media in think that future research could be spent examining the
China, I found value in researching this topic from the effect of social media on student participation in academic
perspective of a “digital native”. I do not know Mandarin, and extra-curricular activities. It would be compelling to
I do not know if I ever will, but I connected with see a new model in Chinese higher education integrating
students over social media. I can see students’ pictures, social media into the curriculum and for professor-
and I can translate their postings if it is not in English. student correspondence to promote further academic
Social media has features that allow people to transcend discussions and participation. Research on social media
language barriers, especially with other “digital natives”. I could help educators and students interact in the new
realize that my research also has its limitations. Being in media world by integrating social media into academia
China for only a month is a limitation in and of itself, and and steering conversations online. This discussion gives
I visited only two Chinese universities and a vocational one contemporary perspective on social media and how
college for less than a week. The time limitation means it can be used for liberating controlled peoples. For my
that I met with a limited number of interlocutors and purposes, the article gave valuable information regarding
because of the language barrier it was difficult to convey China’s government and its future interests in social
some ideas and questions. It worked well to write down media.
my inquiries or to transcribe them over WeChat because
Chinese students are highly capable of reading and
50
writing in English. If I had done surveys perhaps I would
have had a much higher quantity of responses but I felt
from the beginning of my research that conversational
interviews would create comprehensive and valuable data.
I do not believe that my research is all encompassing by

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 Occam's Razor, Vol. 5 [2017], Art. 5

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