ABU DHABI // Social media is more for play than work for the vast majority of users in the UAE, a survey has found.
Whether it is posting updates, taking pictures or watching videos, overall users prefer the likes of WhatsApp and Facebook to the more profession-focused LinkedIn.
According to the Social Media Survey 2016, WhatsApp and Facebook had 97 per cent and 89 per cent usage respectively, followed by YouTube with 73 per cent.
The least used platforms were Snapchat and LinkedIn with 27 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively.
Social media usage was highest among 18 to 21-year-olds.
“The results show many important facts about the uses of social media in this country by citizens and residents in different age groups,” said Sumaya Saeed, director of government communication at the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, which conducted the research.
“Both federal and local [institutes and government authorities], benefit from this research to develop and activate their presence on these platforms in order to serve the citizens and residents, and make them happy.”
The poll revealed a difference in preference for social media platforms between the 5,000 Emiratis and residents questioned.
Despite the ubiquitous use of Twitter by celebrities and newly-elected US president Donald Trump, only 35 per cent of those questioned said they used it.
Of these, 44 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds used it most often and only 2 per cent regularly.
Free messaging service WhatsApp is by far the most used service, with 96 per cent of Emiratis, followed by 78 per cent using Instagram and 62 per cent for Snapchat.
For residents, WhatsApp also came first at 97 per cent, Facebook at 93 per cent then YouTube at 75 per cent.
Facebook was one of least popular social media platforms among Emiratis at 58 per cent.
Only Google Plus at 23 per cent had a lower usage for Emiratis compared with 61 per cent for westerners.
A quarter of expat Arabs said they used Facebook.
Young professionals were most active on LinkedIn, where those aged between 22 and 34, and 18 and 21-year-olds had the highest rate of social media usage in general.
Those aged 26 to 54 primarily used the different social media to look for jobs or for work purposes, whereas 18 to 25-year-olds were motivated more by posting pictures and updates and looking at other people’s posts or videos.
People aged 45 to 65 use it to get updates on the news.
In fact, Emiratis preferred to use social media to get information about news and social events significantly more than expats, said the report.
For residents, the primary use of social media was to connect with friends and family, people and organisations for jobs.
They also watch more videos, listen to music and look at other people’s posts more often than Emiratis.
Almost a third of those surveyed said they used social media on average two to three hours a day with 16 per cent using it more than five hours a day and 2 per cent using it less than 30 minutes a day.
Perhaps unsurprisingly a quarter of 18 to 21-year-olds polled said they used it more than five hours a day.
“Westerners spend the most amount of time on social media, while expat Asians spend the least,” said the report.
“UAE nationals have a higher tendency to disconnect from social media during family occasions.”
However just over a quarter said they could not bring themselves to ever be away from social media, with almost a third of these aged 18 to 34.
Ninety-five per cent said that social media had enhanced the quality of life, but 77 per cent also believed it was a “wastage of time” and two-third said it has resulted in a loss of the human touch in relations.
Linda Bonnar, who works with teenagers on social media issues, said the survey’s findings were interesting but she found that Instagram was becoming more popular among the people she works with.
“Many teenagers (and even some adults) will use the number of “likes” they receive on an image to equate to how popular/ attractive they are,” she said.
“The unfortunate side of this is that for so many young people these days, their self-confidence is still based on what they look like, rather than how they feel.”
LinkedIn was less popular for young people as it is focused more towards business, she said.
“Many senior students are encouraged to set up profiles as part of their university preparation and encouraged to keep them professional looking- not so much a priority compared to an IG [Instagram] account when you’re 17 or 18,” she said.
There was also a trend among young people to hold multiple social accounts with women in the Gulf with more than men, she said.
nhanif@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
The%20specs
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Avatar%20(2009)
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
