LIKE, TWEET, OR PIN: COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THEIR CURRENT USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Social Media (SM) is ever present in the daily "online" life of an individual and ultimately offers a platform for individuals and businesses to interact and communicate. Facebook continues to be the most popular social media site [2] however, the use of Twitter and Pinterest is on the rise. Social Networking Sites (SNS) provide individuals, especially college students, an outlet to share a wealth of information. Yet, questions arise: are college students still spending as much time using Facebook? Is Facebook still college students' first choice in SM or have they switched to Twitter and Pinterest? The purpose of this study is to determine if college students are using SM as much as they were two and a half years ago. Discerning the answer to these research questions involved comparing data collected from a Fall 2010 dissertation study to survey data collected during the Spring 2013 semester. The findings of this explanatory study were significant: social media usage among college students has increased in two and a half years, certain demographics influence SM usage and Facebook usage has declined by 38% which suggests students are seeking and using other SM technologies.