ETHICAL VALUES AND RESPONSIBLE SOCIAL MEDIA USE AMONG MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
List of Authors
  • FATIMAH ZAHRAH ISMAIL, ISMA ROSILA ISMAIL, Najmiah Omar, RAHIMAH EMBONG, ROSMALIZAWATI AB RASHID, ZURAIDAH JULIANA MOHAMAD YUSOFF

Keyword
  • Islamic values, Quranic personality, social media usage, digital literacy, ethical digital behaviour.

Abstract
  • In the era of Industry 5.0, social media has become a pervasive force in the daily lives of youth, serving as a platform for communication, education, and leisure. Despite its benefits, the use of social media presents ethical challenges, particularly when evaluated through the lens of Islamic principles such as Taqwa (God-consciousness), modesty, and moral conduct. Accordingly, this study investigates the influence of social media on the communication patterns of university students in Malaysia. It explores the extent to which Islamic values can guide ethical digital engagement. A quantitative survey involving 410 students from selected Malaysian public and private universities was conducted to examine their social media habits, motivations for usage, and the congruence of their digital behaviour with Islamic teachings. Overall, the findings reveal that while social media is frequently used for academic and informational purposes, a significant proportion of students engage excessively with entertainment content. This often results in time mismanagement and neglect of academic and spiritual responsibilities. Furthermore, the study highlighted a critical need for structured Islamic digital literacy programs aimed at promoting responsible and ethically informed online behaviour.

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