Facebook Usage for Religious Motives: Difference in Time Patterns and Demographics

Abstract

This study explains how Muslim students use Facebook for religious motives and needs engaging with the religious contents on this social networking site gratifies. Students who access Facebook are selected from the universities in Lahore to participate in an offline survey (n=405). Specifically, the current study contributes to the Uses and Gratifications Theory by studying the relationship between Facebook usage and religious motives. The difference is also explained which time patterns and demographics make in the scores of religious motives for Facebook usage. A small correlation between Facebook usage and religious motives is found. The variables of weekly access to Facebook usage, age of students, and level of education have made a difference in the religious gratifications from Facebook use. The small interaction effect is also explored for weekly access to Facebook usage among male and female university students for religious gratifications from this social networking site. Pakistan telecommunication authority should check the religious hate speech on Facebook so the potential of Facebook can be utilized for the tolerant use of Facebook use for religious gratifications. The university students should also use their comments wisely when the religious content on Facebook is in question because this positive behavior will increase the chances of diverse and peaceful Islamic discourse.