Spatial peculiarities of social networking services distribution in Rivnenska oblast
Abstract
Social networking services are a modern phenomenon in the field of human relations. As differentiated from western science, the issue of SNS spatial distribution is not a matter of high concern in Ukrainian researchers because of a number of objective and subjective reasons. The main task of the research is to analyze the spatial distribution of the amount of users and the penetration level of social networking services such as Facebook and Instagram in administrative districts and cities of region subordination belonging to Rivnenska oblast.
Facebook is the most popular social networking service in Rivnenska oblast. There is a trend towards concentration of users' accounts in big cities: Rivne City, Dubno City, Varash City. More than 70% of users of the oblast live in the cities of oblast subordination and 58.4% of accounts are concentrated in Rivne City which is also the regional center. T. Hägerstrand's Spatial Innovation Diffusion Theory has been proved – the largest cities of the oblast are regional innovation centers. Densely populated Sarnenskyi, Bereznivskyi, and Kostopilskyi districts are distinguished among the districts. Facebook is the least used in Dubenskyi, Rivnenskуі, Ostrozkyi, Zarichnenskyi, Demydivskyi, Hoshchanskyi districts.
The penetration rate of the social networking service Facebook in the oblast is 32.7% (in Ukraine – 31.0%). The highest level is in cities of oblast subordination. Rivne City and Dubno City are particularly distinguished. High levels of penetration are achieved due to the high development of technical infrastructure, through the companies' and shops' accounts, as well as accounts of residents from surrounding villages. The relatively low penetration rate in Varash City, the second largest city of Rivne oblast due to population, can be explained by the weaker connections with the surrounding area. In administrative districts, the penetration rate is much lower. A relatively high percentage of users are in Radyvylivskyi, Bereznivskyi, Kostopilskyi districts. These districts are characterized by a high level of socio-economic development and convenient socio-geographical location. The lowest level of penetration of the social networking service is in Demydivskyi, Zarichnenskyi, Hoshchanskyi districts. These are little developed and depressed territories within the oblast.
The second most popular social networking service in Rivnenska oblast is Instagram (26.3% penetration rate). In terms of development, it is inferior to Facebook, and its main users are mostly young people. In the spatial distribution of Instagram users, we can trace the same trends as the Facebook.
In general, the distribution of social networking services such as Facebook and Instagram in Rivnenska oblast corresponds to a hierarchical model of spatial diffusion. There is a trend towards concentration of users in big cities.
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