ABSTRACT: The uses and gratifications (U&G) theory has been widely used in research related to conventional media and now the internet media and mobile platforms. In Malaysia, a number of Internet-related studies revolve around the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) and most studies on U & G have been conducted in the U.S. and U.K., but not Asia. This study will focus specifically on WeChat, a popular instant messaging platform, to obtain information that will add to the limited research on U & G in Malaysia in the context of the internet media. WeChat was launched in China in 2011 and to date there are 500 million users in China and over 100 million outside China. WeChat was launched in Malaysia in June 2012 and currently it is used by 33% of the total number of Malaysians using instant messaging applications in Malaysia.This study on WeChat and U & G will focus on the following research.........
Keywords: social media, usage & gratifications, social motivations, process motivation & content motivation
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