The Impacts of Participating Social Networking Sites: A Study of University Students in Hong Kong and Wuhan in China

Social networking sites (SNS) facilitate individuals to update their profile and to interact with their close friends as well as their weak acquaintances. This study explores the impacts of these common activities. We hypothesize that these activities would boost one’s self-esteem; would maintain one’s social relationship; and would enable one to reach various information. This will result in the enhancement of one’s life satisfaction. Our empirical findings from the usage of Facebook in Hong Kong and Xiaoneiin China prove most of our hypotheses. Individuals who exert time and effort updating their Facebook/Xiaonei gain more self-esteem. Interactions with close friends are significantly related to social relationship maintenance, but not to information sharing. Furthermore, interactions with weak acquaintances have greater effects on social relationship maintenance and information sharing than the impacts from interactions with close friends. These impacts would enhance one’s life satisfaction.