Social media use among secondary school students in Malaysia: age and gender trends and multi-platform engagement

Abstract

The increasing integration of social media into the daily lives of adolescents presents both opportunities and challenges for educators, parents, and policymakers. The objective of this study is to investigate the patterns of social media account ownership and platform usage among secondary school students, with particular focus on age-related trends, gender differences, and the emergence of multi-platform engagement in Malaysia. This quantitative study surveyed 373 secondary school students, collecting data on the number of social media accounts they owned, the specific platforms they used, and their patterns of engagement. Descriptive analysis was conducted to examine variations by gender and age group. The findings reveal an apparent gender disparity, with female students demonstrating higher rates of multi-account ownership and greater engagement on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. A strong positive relation was observed between age and the number of accounts owned, with older students (aged 17) exhibiting the highest levels of multi-platform usage. TikTok and WhatsApp emerged as the dominant platforms across all ages. The study concludes that students are not passive consumers but active and strategic users of social media, constructing personalised digital ecosystems to serve their various needs. These patterns underscore the importance of developing age-appropriate and gender-sensitive digital literacy programs that address both the opportunities and risks of multi-platform engagement. The impact of this study lies in its potential to inform educators, parents, and policymakers about the evolving digital behaviours of students and to guide the development of targeted educational strategies that promote safe, responsible, and critical engagement with social media platform