Social media access in SA linked to privilege, while AI emerges as game-changer

Launched today on World Social Media Day, the The SA Social Media Industry Report 2023 shows a strong correlation in South Africa between access to social media and privilege.

The Report, conducted by Ornico and World Wide Worx during the first half of 2023, found that access to social media is equal to privilege and privilege is equal to access to social media.

Talking through the Report findings this morning, in a virtual presentation, Arthur Goldstuck from World Wide Worx, says that most social media apps show a direct correlation between usage and privilege.

“In this country, social media usage is strongly connected to privilege. The higher the SocioEconomic Level (SEL) the most likely social media usage.”

He adds: "This is especially true for Facebook and Instagram, but even applies to TikTok and Twitter, while LinkedIn is slighted different and more scattered, the same still holds true.

“There is also a correlation between race and SEL on the one hand, and both general use and highly active use on the other."

He states in the Report: “It is a reminder that South Africans on social media must check their privilege, and is a key theme in our analysis of each individual platform in this report."

The rise of Artificial Intelligence

The Report shows the rise of AI, and its emergence as a game-changer in the social media landscape.

"Leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning, AI has revolutionised how we interact, consume content, and do business on social media platforms,"says the Report.

It warns that as we embrace the application of AI in social media, "it is important to be mindful of the associated risks and proactively safeguard ourselves, our brands and our audiences”.

With 81% of the internet user group on social media, it comes as no surprise that AI has garnered a lot of conversations in South Africa since the release of ChatGPT, particularly in the social media and digital marketing fields.

ChatGPT: Reservations about its long-term impact

The Report delves further into ChatGPT and found that South Africa was amongst the top 20 countries mentioning ChatGPT upon its release in 2022.

But it also says that when any disruptive technology emerges, it is natural for people to feel uneasy, and AI is no exception.

“Our admiration for the potential of AI is undeniable... however, the sentiment analysis towards ChatGPT paints a different picture, with 82% neutral, 13% negative and only 5% positive sentiment."

The Report further states that although we are curious and see its value, we have our reservations about its long-term impact.

The Big Five continue to dominant

The Big Five have solidified their dominance of social media in South Africa, with Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn all enjoying strong penetration of their target audiences.

South Africa’s social media landscape continues to be dominated by Facebook (56,7%).

TikTok (30,6%) has experienced tremendous growth and has replaced Instagram in the second position.

It is significant that TikTok has such high penetration of the 15+ market in South Africa, since its under-15 audience is probably the strongest of all social networks.

Slightly behind TikTok, Instagram remains relatively high (27,6%).

Twitter (22,5%) still has a significant following despite the fall-out of Elon Musk’s takeover.

LinkedIn (14,7%) places fifth with a strong presence, given the fact that it is a network for professional contact and communication.