3.4 WhatsApp - an emerging area of potential and problems

We each have different expectations of our engagement in social media including the use of WhatsApp. It is important you learn to make your own decisions on whether a WhatsApp group is working to support or disrupt your studies and make the best use of the settings to manage the risks. However, there are also a number of ways to change how you engage in WhatsApp to allow for a better experience as a student.

Leaving the group is always an option, and in some cases is the best option for you. It is always possible to leave a WhatsApp group, however, FOMO may be strong. The key to engagement with WhatsApp as a student is to make your own decisions about the groups that you are involved in and what you are getting out of them. In order to keep yourself safe it may be important to set ground rules on when you might choose to leave a group.

The power of WhatsApp to negatively shape the student experience and expose them to content and material have caused particular concerns for universities and academics. When this is combined with student reluctance to leave these groups the potential for problems is challenging. Particularly, as informal connections between students are almost impossible for universities to control. It is important students learn to mitigate these risks and make informed choices about engagement in WhatsApp as part of their studies. Particularly as even though it is outside of the university system, behaviour within WhatsApp may still be covered by the university’s social media policy. This is something you will learn more about in Session 4.