Experiences of Facebook among media students in northern Sweden : living in a social media culture

University students enrolled on the “Media and communication program” in northern Sweden have been interviewed regarding their use of social media. By examining the resulting narratives through approaching poststructuralism, the study put emphasis on how the media students think and feel about their use of Facebook. Media students are heavy Facebook users who spend many hours on the social network. As future professional workers in the media industry they have a multidimensional interest in social media. The students feel that it is essential to take part of what happens on Facebook. For many, Facebook has turned into a cultural habit which has become quite an important part of their lives. However, they also feel that the use of Facebook is quite problematic – for them and for others. On the one hand, many are involved in a kind of capitalistic bragging about what they have bought or where they have travelled. On the other hand, they think critically about these Facebook phenomena and have ideas about how Facebook ideally could be used to improve people’s lives. Each student has their own individual experience of Facebook, an experience which is quite complex. Some evident gendered differences in the use of Facebook were also observed in the narratives. It is noticeable that the media students live in a culture which is strongly influenced by Facebook norms.Godkänd; 2013; 20130921 (akijuh