A Comparative Analysis of Social Networking Site Use in Two Distinct Cultures: Evaluating the IT-Culture Conflict

The popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) continues to grow worldwide, however, with varying acceptance in different regions. This study examines the effects of both culture and gender on the intention to use an SNS. The study compares users from Saudi Arabia, a culture known to be driven by conservative religious values known to influence acceptance and use of new technologies to students from the United States (US), a culture which has been recognized as being more individualistic in behavior. An online survey was used to collect data from both Saudi and US Facebook users. The interaction of gender and culture was found to have an impact on the determinants of intention to use. The strongest effect was found with Saudi females and the beliefs regarding self-presentation through the use of personal images.