A Framework of Social Networks Control in Higher Educational Contexts

Abstract

Educationists are urged to investigate the effect of social networks control. There is a lack of multidisciplinary studies with a focus on coercive social network control in the higher education sector. This exploratory and descriptive study presents a theoretical contemplation of social network control based on ten key elements that influence teaching and learning in higher education environments. The paper provides a critical analysis of the impact of an economic model on social network control and examines social engineering through the tenets of digital presence, psychological strategies and tactics. Insights into user-generated content and the learning process of manipulative assimilation that influence current ways of thinking in higher education contexts are offered through the lens of social network control mechanisms. A framework for social network control was derived, signifying the flow and dynamics between key elements which might impact various aspects of social network security and its applications in Higher Education.