Proceedings of 1th International Conference CNDGS’2018

Influence of Social Media on National Security: Lithuanian Academic

Youth Experience

Dalia PRAKAPIENĖ1, Romas PRAKAPAS2, Gitana DUDZEVIČIŪTĖ3

1,3
Department of Management, The General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, Šilo g.
5A, LT-10322, Vilnius
2
Institute of Educational Sciences and Social Work, Mykolas Romeris University, Ateities 20, LT-
08303, Vilnius
E-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Abstract

The articles analyses the penetration of social media through personal use into daily life and the relation of this
phenomenon to national security. A survey of Lithuanian higher-school students aged 18-29 was conducted according
to quantitative research methodology. Young people actively use social networks for various purposes (personal,
learning, work, recreation). Statistically, each individual, aged 18-29, has personal profiles on four social networking
sites, yet most often does not adequately evaluate and link the use of social networks with possible national security
threats and risk factors. Less than two-thirds of young people have heard something of possible threats and risk factors;
however, the impact of social media on national security is not considered significant. Thus, it seems that young people
lack information about real threats presented by social networks to both personal data storage and national security.
no more than 600 symbols with spaces (approximately 100 words).

KEY WORDS: Social Media; National Security; Academic Youth, Generation Z

1. Introduction

The spread and penetration of social media into everyday life are perceived as self-evident and natural phenomena.
Generation Z is often identified with mobile technology, which, according to Ozkan & Solmaz [12], they use to interact
with each other, maintain social relationships, etc. On the other hand, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. have become
the inseparable elements of everyday social contacts for the representatives of previous generations, too. As Conti and
Passarella [3] point out, today’s media world is in close contact with the real model of human social behaviour. Such a
close interaction between real and virtual worlds that helps solve everyday problems is often seen as a given that makes
not only personal but also public life (e.g., e-government [6], business world [7], tourism [11] easier. However, despite
these advantages, social media users irresponsibly use personal information, revealing it not only to friends or family
members but also to other social network users [14]. Such, at first glance, innocent personal information display creates
preconditions for a potential violation of privacy. As Thompson, McGill & Wang [15] point out, personal computer users
are among the most vulnerable because of information security threats, as individuals often lack knowledge of technology
as well as consequences of its use and have no ability to identify threats.
The problem of the research is to see how social media through personal use are related to national security. The
object of the research is the impact of social media on national security. The purpose of the research is to reveal the impact
of social media on national security.

2. Research Method

The research was modelled on the methodological approaches of quantitative research. The cross-sectional design
model [5] was used to carry it out as it is the most commonly used one for research in a particular group. The construct of
the research instrument was designed on the basis of theoretical considerations of the analysis of social networks [13]. The
choice of the research model was conditioned by the peculiarities of the analysed phenomenon - as Carolan [2] notes, in
the case of social network analysis, it often involves both the method and the theory, thus combining the aforementioned
theoretical considerations of social network analysis and combining them with social constructivism [1] and knowledge
management [9]. A questionnaire survey method was chosen for the empirical research. Indicators of measurement of
the instrument used in the research were selected based on the meta-analysis data of scientific sources and the specific
context of the legal environment characterizing the situation in Lithuania [10]: national security interests, contribution
of conscious citizens to the development of the country’s security and prosperity, information and cyber threats, etc.
Young people (18-29 years old) born and / or raised in the digital age of Generation Z [4] and studying in different

Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected]

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Lithuanian higher education institutions (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda)) were interviewed for the research. The subjects
were selected by simple random sampling (n = 1524).1The research involved 32.24% men and 67.76% women, 51.97%
of the participants were studying at universities and 48.03% at non-university higher education institutions at the time
of the research. It was conducted in March and April, 2018. Descriptive and inferential statistical research methods were
used to analyse the collected data using SPSS 22 software package.

3. Research Results

Research data shows that young people (aged 18-29), who were born and / or raised in the digital age of Generation
Z, enjoy a wide range of social media benefits – most often social networks are necessary for them to communicate with
their friends (95.39%), to search for information (84.87%) and spend leisure time (81.58%), for studies (66.45%), to
communicate with family members (66.45%) and share photos (50.66%), for work (or business) (44.08%) and discussions
(35.53%), to share experience (25.00%) and videos (19.74%), to look for new friends (15.79%) and play games (10.53%).
The results are presented in the Table 1.

Table 1
The purposes of using social media (%)

The purposes of using social media Most often Least often Never
Searching for information 84.87 13.16 1.97
Games 10.53 62.50 26.97
Leisure 81.58 16.45 1.97
Learning (studies) 66.45 25.66 7.89
Work (business) 44.08 34.21 21.71
Communication with friends 95.39 3.95 0.66
Communication with relatives 66.45 26.97 6.58
Searching for new friends 15.79 51.32 32.89
Discussion (sharing opinions) 35.53 50.66 13.82
Sharing videos 19.74 63.16 17.11
Sharing photos 50.66 40.79 8.55
Sharing experiences 25.00 57.89 17.11
Research data shows that the prioritization of some goals is related to gender (e.g., communication with family mem-
bers, r=-0.246, p<0.005) or age (e.g., communication with friends, r=0.281, p<0.001). On average, young people use four
social networks (M=3.6), the most popular (see Fig. 1) of which are Facebook (98.68%), Youtube (93.42%), Instagram
(73.03%), Google+ (43.42%).

Fig. 1. The popularity of using social media (%)

Almost all young people (95.39%) who participated in the research have indicated their real name and post their
personal photos (90.79%) on social networks (see Fig. 2).

4 Limitations of the research - the generalization of findings due to a relatively small sample of research is not possible; the results of
the research show only a trend.

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 Fig. 2. Frequency of publishing personal information on social networks (%)

Also, most social network users have provided their exact birth date (74.34%) and email address (53.95%). One third
has indicated their interests, a place of residence as well as a social status; a quarter has published their personal telephone
number. 4.61% of the participants indicated that they have provided the exact address of their place of residence. Almost all
young people connect to their social networking accounts with smartphones (99.34%) or personal computers (65.13%). A
significant proportion (14.47%), however, regardless of any security requirements, uses public facilities in their education
or work institutions. It turned out that only 48.03% of all the participants while connecting to social networks pay attention
to the security of public and unprotected networks. Half of them refrain from joining such networks and the rest rely on
their connection passwords. 94.74% use a password to protect their personal profile, the rest state that it is not necessary
when using a personal device that only he/she alone uses.

Table 2
Awareness of threats, dangers and risk factors to national security (respondents’ opinion, %)

Unaware/ do not have

Threats, dangers and risks to national security Aware Have heard
an opinion
Conventional military threats 25.00 33.55 41.45
Disguised military and intelligence tools 27.63 40.13 32.24
Threats to the unity of the Euro-Atlantic community 21.71 19.08 59.21
Instability in the region and in the world 38.82 38.16 23.03
Terrorism, extremism, radicalization 59.21 27.63 13.16
Information threats 67.11 21.71 11.18
Cyber threats 63.16 25.00 11.84
Economic and energy dependence, economic vulnerability 36.18 28.29 35.53
The development of unsafe nuclear energy near the borders of
41.45 25.66 32.89
the Republic of Lithuania
Social and regional exclusion, poverty 55.26 23.03 21.71
Demographic crisis 49.34 25.66 25.00
Corruption 64.47 21.71 13.82
Organized crime 52.63 33.55 13.82
National and international levels extreme situations 36.18 36.84 26.97
Crisis of values 37.50 28.29 34.21
A much more problematic situation emerges when a stranger sends a friend request - 2.63% accept all requests
and 38.82% do that sometimes. The magnitude of the problem is highlighted by the fact that only more than half of
all participants have heard about some of national security threats and risk factors (see Table 2; 67.11% have heard of
information threats, 64.47% of corruption, 63.16% of cyber-terrorism, 59.21% of terrorism, 55.26% of social exclusion,
poverty, etc.).

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 Table 3
Awareness of national security threats dangers and risks factors (Mann-Whitney Test by gender)

Threats Gender Mean Rank Sum of Ranks Asymp. Sig.

Male 62.21 3048.50
Conventional military threats 0.004
Female 83.30 8579.50
Male 65.42 3205.50
Disguised military and intelligence tools 0.025
Female 81.77 8422.50
Threats to the unity of the Euro-Atlantic Male 66.88 3277.00
0.042
community Female 81.08 8351.00
Male 63.77 3124.50
Cyber threats 0.01
Female 82.56 8503.50
Economic and energy dependence, economic Male 64.00 3136.00
0.012
vulnerability Female 82.45 8492.00
The development of unsafe nuclear energy near the Male 61.51 3014.00
0.003
borders of the Republic of Lithuania Female 83.63 8614.00
The findings of the Mann-Whitney test show that women know about the identified national security threats and
risk factors statistically better than males (p<0.05); in terms of educational institutions, college students know about the
threats statistically better than university students (p<0.03). The results are presented in the Table 3. Of all the participants
in the research who have heard something of possible threats to national security and risk factors only 74.34% associate
the spread of information threats and 65.79% of cyber threats with the use of social networks.

Table 4
Awareness of national security threats dangers and risks factors
(Mann-Whitney Test by study institution)

Sum of
Threats Institution Mean Rank Asymp. Sig.
Ranks
University 64.88 5125.50
Disguised military and intelligence tools 0.000
College 89.08 6502.50
University 67.79 5355.50
Threats to the unity of the Euro-Atlantic community 0.005
College 85.92 6272.50
University 66.35 5241.50
Instability in the region and in the world 0.002
College 87.49 6386.50
University 69.32 5476.50
Information threats 0.027
College 84.27 6151.50
University 68.59 5418.50
Cyber threats 0.016
College 85.06 6209.50
Economic and energy dependence, economic University 67.47 5330.00
0.006
vulnerability College 86.27 6298.00
The development of unsafe nuclear energy near the University 66.09 5221.00
0.002
borders of the Republic of Lithuania College 87.77 6407.00
University 64.85 5123.50
Social and regional exclusion, poverty 0.000
College 89.10 6504.50
University 66.30 5237.50
Demographic crisis 0.002
College 87.54 6390.50
University 69.64 5501.50
Corruption 0.037
College 83.92 6126.50
More than 60% do not see any possible links between all other national security threats and risk factors and the
use of social networks. In this regard, there are no differences between male and female opinions. However, regarding
educational institutions (see Table 4), the findings of the Mann-Whitney test show that college students statistically see
potential links more often (p<0.01).

Conclusions

Young people actively use social networks for various purposes (personal, learning, work, recreation). A statistical
person, aged 18-29, has personal profiles on four social networks, yet most often does not adequately evaluate and link

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the use of social networks with possible national security threats and risk factors: relatively often accepts friend requests
from little-known people, posts a lot and various personal information, does not deter from using public computers and
unsecured networks. Less than two-thirds of young people have heard something of possible threats and risk factors;
however, the impact of social media on national security is not considered significant. Thus, it seems that young people
lack information about real threats presented by social networks to both personal data storage and national security.

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