Citing the pervasiveness of social media, Benson, Morgan, and their contributors look for balance as they weigh the effectiveness of social technologies against the adverse effects it may bring to its users. They touch on e-commerce, information security, business networks, libraries, the tourism sector, and raise issues lined to the psychological consequences and legal implications.
– ProtoView Book Abstracts (formerly Book News, Inc.)
Aims to introduce the new trend of using social media technologies, and illustrates the advantages and negative effects that may influence users. The content and comprehensive information provided in the 15 chapters of this book serves a variety of purposes. The terms and notions in each chapter are covered by simple and comprehensible words, using grounded and intelligible examples. A valuable contribution of this book is an in-depth discussion of a series of issues about how social media influence students, higher education organizations, tourism industry, and firms. The authors systematically arrange each of the components of this popular subject, describe the application of social media and introduce both positive aspects and detrimental effects. In our opinion, the book provides clear illustrations via specific perspectives and successfully transmits the authors’ points to teachers, academics, researchers, and professionals.
– Professor Chia-Wen Tsai, Ming Chuan University, Taiwan, Professor Pei-Di Shen, Ming Chuan University, Taiwan, and Yi-Chun Chiang, Ming Chuan University, Taiwan
This compilation presents well-balanced, comprehensive coverage of research on social media, virtual communities, mobile applications, and networking technologies. Editors Benson and Morgan (both, Kingston Univ., UK) successfully bring forth the paradoxical nature of social media in e-commerce, higher education, libraries, information security, privacy, and tourism, and its powerful effect on individuals of all ages. Backed by solid research carried out in countries including Australia, Canada, England, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Finland, Spain, Turkey, and the US, this book is especially relevant to professionals engaged in the higher-education sector who are eager to embrace the new technologies but are not fully aware of legal implications, privacy concerns, and challenges involved in integrating social technologies like Facebook, learning-technology platforms (e.g., Moodle), or short-message services into their classrooms. Contributors raise awareness about the dual impact of the emerging phenomena of social media and their possible adverse effect on social communications. The book would be useful for anyone needing a detailed overview of social media applications in higher-education and business settings. Summing Up: Recommended. Advanced undergraduate and technical program students; researchers/faculty; professionals/practitioners.
– A. H. Bhatt, Florida Gulf Coast University, USA, CHOICE, May 2016