Azadeh Salemi; Hadi Khaniki; Habib Habib Sabouri KhosrowShahi; Shahnaz Hashemi
Abstract
In spite of the necessity of Media Literacy for optimal use of new communication technologies, media consumption experience may increase media literacy as well. The purpose of the present research is to propose a model for predicting internet users' media health literacy according to their Social Media ...
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In spite of the necessity of Media Literacy for optimal use of new communication technologies, media consumption experience may increase media literacy as well. The purpose of the present research is to propose a model for predicting internet users' media health literacy according to their Social Media Consumption patterns. By Media Health Literacy, we mean people’s perceived abilities to access, analyze, create and convey health messages through media. The research method is survey which was conducted in May 2019. The research tool is the questionnaire whose reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha=0.837) and validity (face validity and construct validity) have been confirmed. The statistical population is adult citizens of Tehran who use internet. According to the Path Analysis model, "Gratifications obtained from social media use in the field of health" is the most powerful predictor of "Media Health Literacy" levels. "Frequency of Social Media Use", "years of education", "Adoption of health-related social media" and "Age" are the other independent variables which have shares in predicting Media Health Literacy's level among Social Media Users in Tehran. In conclusion, by increase in citizens' access to internet, Digital divide shifts from unequal access to new communication technologies to the quality of usage. In addition, Digital Divide remains between social groups in terms of "age" and "years of education", but "sex" does not define Social Media Users' "Media Health Literacy" levels.
Babak Rahimi; Hossein Kermani; Zohreh Alihoseini; Mohammadmahdi Meshkini
Abstract
Nowadays, many Iranians are using smart phones. Also, the digital divide problem remains an important issue in contemporary urban Iran. Thus, doing research into the relation between these variables is necessary to provide a better understanding of the problem. Using Van Deursen and Van Dijk theory, ...
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Nowadays, many Iranians are using smart phones. Also, the digital divide problem remains an important issue in contemporary urban Iran. Thus, doing research into the relation between these variables is necessary to provide a better understanding of the problem. Using Van Deursen and Van Dijk theory, this paper aims to clear if smart phone usage causes some new kinds of digital divide or not. Furthermore, we measured the correlations between some socio-demographical variables with digital divide. We surveyed 273 of Tehran citizens to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses. Finding shows that the main divide occurs in skills acces also there is a divide in material access but. In addition, class and education have the most effect on digital divide. Class affect the all kinds of accesses and education have effect on 2 of them, while other variables such as age, gender and ethnicity don not have significant effect on different levels of access.
Mohammad Amin Ghane’irad; Ali Janadleh
Abstract
The development of the Internet as a modern communication technology has raised new, important and different issues regarding the relation between this technology and the public sphere. In this paper, based on Habermaus’s theory, we have proposed four fundamental questions about the possibility ...
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The development of the Internet as a modern communication technology has raised new, important and different issues regarding the relation between this technology and the public sphere. In this paper, based on Habermaus’s theory, we have proposed four fundamental questions about the possibility and impossibility of development of the public sphere in the cyberspace in order to prepare a systematic review of the proposed theories. Based on the results of the study, it is possible to distinguish three different views toward the development of virtual public sphere: possibility, impossibility, and conditional nature of the formation of the virtual public sphere. The resultant of these three views is that despite the capacity of the cyberspace for the development of virtual public sphere, there are still important challenges such as the digital divide, polarization, cyberspace fragmentation, anonymity, and loosening of the real social ties. In addition, closer study of the relation between cyberspace and public sphere requires us to avoid technological determinism, and consider the institutional and social contexts and perform comparative studies on different social and institutional contexts
