Adolescent Behavior In Using New Media: Mapping Adolescent’s New Media Habit In Riau Province

Abstract

The study aimed to determine how adolescents access new media, to determine new media using, and to know new media practices committed in daily lives of adolescents in Riau. The study used three approaches as a theoretical basis, ie., First, the McLuhan approach‟s "the medium is the messageâ€. Second, technological determinism which illustrates that technology has thrust the social factor. And third, media drives cultures. By using quantitative descriptive method to provide an overview of the media access variable, use of new media, and new media practices committed by adolescents in Riau Province, with random sampling Yamane formula. The study found that 1) Youth in Riau Province have the level of closeness with the mass media and social media and adolescents always provide sufficient cost and time to access social media for a variety of interests. 2) Adolescents can access the media freely, using the available facilities, through mobile phones, laptops, personal computers, etc., are available in homes, cafes, schools, and public places in the other. 3) Social media content more accessible by adolescents for entertainment and social interests, not to serve for more meaningful purposes. 4) Adolescents provide very much time to access the internet, and always over estimate the time for the benefit of social media, and adolescents always used to access social networks in free time. 

Key word: adolescents, new media, social media, technological determinism