Thesis (M.A. (Media Studies) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / This study explored the uses of Facebook by youth in the Vhembe District Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is exploratory qualitative research. The research sample consisted of twenty (20) respondents both 10 males and 10 females whose ages range between 18 and 29 years who are on Facebook. Purposive sampling was adopted for the study to sample the study population members. The method used to collect data was the structured interview. The data collected from research respondents were analysed in themes and sub-themes using texts and tables. The study found that Facebook is the most preferred social media by youth from the Vhembe District. The platform connects users irrespective of their geographical boundaries and promotes the level of interaction on social and entertaining issues. Facebook also enables the Vhembe District youth to search for jobs and also helps them to discuss their academic and sometimes political issues. Most of the Vhembe District youth prefer using Facebook to share recent information and create content such as pictures and videos with their friends when they are online. The Vhembe District youth also use the platform to entertain each other. The major problems faced by the Vhembe District Facebook users are that a majority of them become exposed to pictures and videos of sexual nature, cyberattack, cyberbullying and vulgar language whereas a minority become victims of account hacking and invasion of privacy. The research respondents came up with solutions to prevent social media challenges. A majority of respondents suggested that strong passwords, an increase in privacy, social media law implementation, social media campaigns and social media education can help prevent online challenges. A minority of students indicated that parental support, strong age restriction, adding known Facebook users, blocking, unfollowing and unfriending unwanted users can help to prevent challenges faced by Facebook users.

Transportation-network companies such as Uber and Lyft have permeated cities around the world. While they have been lauded for introducing a new mobility option, questions of equity have been raised, including in relation to people with disabilities. Numerous lawsuits have been filed against Uber and Lyft for lack of disabled accessibility of transportation service they facilitate, with some of the lawsuit focusing on wheelchair accessibility. These have been reported in the media while work on the topic is lacking in the academic literature. This doctoral research explores wheelchair accessibility in transportation hailed through Uber and Lyft in the U.S., with a partial focus on the phenomenon in Washington, DC. The study sought to gain insight into wheelchair-accessibility matters with respect to four main stakeholders - riders, companies, drivers, and regulators and other government agencies. The purpose was a) to deepen understanding on the topic based on a holistic approach to core issues and produce evidence-based knowledge and b) to provide policy recommendations where needed. A mixed-methods approach was used to investigate the research problem. The quantitative strand surveyed 341 wheelchair users in the U.S., while the qualitative strand consisted of three sets of 16 qualitative interviews with drivers on the Uber and Lyft apps, Uber and Lyft company representatives, and representatives of relevant government agencies in Washington, DC. The study finds the following: 1) The service might be filling a transportation gap for some wheelchair users even though it is a two-tiered system that disadvantages motorized-wheelchair users. 2) The challenges surrounding wheelchair accessibility are perceived differently by the stakeholders and as a result there are differing views of how to solve them. 3) Overcoming inaccessibility challenge needs to involve changes on both Uber and Lyft and government agencies. Uber and Lyft and government agencies will find this study of interest to help them appreciate other stakeholders' perspective and use the findings to support policy decisions. / Doctor of Philosophy / Transportation-network companies connect drivers who are interested in providing a ride to riders who are looking for transportation through smartphone apps. Uber and Lyft are the most common of these companies. Both companies operate in many cities around the world. They are praised for creating a transportation alternative, but there is a concern that they may not serve everyone equally. For example, people with disabilities, especially wheelchair users have complained that they are not receiving the same service as those who do not use wheelchair. In the US, there are numerous lawsuits have been filed against Uber and Lyft for lack of disabled accessibility. Some of the lawsuit focus on wheelchair accessibility. These issues are reported in the media mostly. This doctoral research looks at wheelchair accessibility in transportation hailed through Uber and Lyft in the U.S., with a partial focus on the phenomenon in Washington, DC. The study sought to gain insight into wheelchair-accessibility matters with respect to four main stakeholders - riders, companies, drivers, and regulators and other government agencies. The purpose was a) to deepen understanding on the topic based on a holistic approach to core issues and produce evidence-based knowledge and b) to provide policy recommendations where needed. A survey and a set of interviews were used to investigate the research problem. The study finds the following: 1) The service might be filling a transportation gap for some wheelchair users even though it is a two-tiered system that disadvantages motorized-wheelchair users. 2) The challenges surrounding wheelchair accessibility are perceived differently by the stakeholders and as a result there are differing views of how to solve them. 3) Overcoming inaccessibility challenge needs to involve changes on both Uber and Lyft and government agencies. Uber and Lyft and government agencies will find this study of interest to help them appreciate other stakeholders' perspective and use the findings to support policy decisions.

[pt] Desde o início do século XXI, com o avanço das plataformas digitais, a imprensa tradicional perdeu parte de sua principal fonte de receita, a publicidade, para novos integrantes da cadeia jornalística, sobretudo Google e Facebook. Posicionando-se como distribuidoras do material noticioso, as big techs passaram anos lucrando sem remunerar as empresas de mídia pelo conteúdo produzido. Nesse contexto neoliberal, alicerçado pela utopia da internet como um território livre e democrático, a presente dissertação analisa a cobertura do jornal O Globo a respeito da regulação de direitos autorais na internet, base legal para que as plataformas remunerem os produtores do conteúdo jornalístico. O referencial teórico é a Economia Política da Comunicação e sua abordagem crítica sobre o conhecimento construído no mundo a partir das relações de poder nas esferas econômica, social e política. A metodologia utilizada foi a Análise de Conteúdo, a partir de um corpus de 41 matérias, além de nove editoriais e artigos de opinião, publicados entre 2016 e 2022. Aliado a um olhar qualitativo, o ferramental quantitativo revelou o despertar tardio da empresa para a questão em análise - que afeta a viabilidade do modelo de financiamento jornalístico e, consequentemente, a sobrevivência corporativa de O Globo. / [en] Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the advancement of digital platforms, traditional press has lost a significant portion of its main revenue source, advertising, to new players in the journalistic chain, mainly Google and Facebook. Presenting themselves as news distributors, big tech companies have been profiting for years without compensating media companies for the content created. In this neoliberal context, based on an utopian idea of the internet as a free and democratic territory, this dissertation analyzes O Globo newspaper s coverage regarding the regulation of copyright on the internet, which provides a legal basis for platforms to remunerate journalistic content producers. The theoretical framework is the Political Economy of Communication and its critical approach to the knowledge constructed in the world based on power relations in economic, social, and political spheres. The methodology used was Content Analysis, based on a corpus of 41 articles, in addition to nine editorials and opinion pieces, published between 2016 and 2022. In conjunction with a qualitative approach, the quantitative tools revealed the company s late awakening to the issue under analysis - which affects the viability of the journalistic financing model and, consequently, O Globo s corporate survival.

Vad händer när en produkt eller tjänst försämrar konsumentens välmående och förtjänsterna ökar ju mer detta sker? Ett etiskt dilemma har uppstått inom digitala plattformar, däribland videoströmningsplattformar (VSP), på grund av detta. En genomgående trend för VSP:ar men också inom e-handeln och mobilappar har visat sig vara nyttjandet av manipulativ design i användargränssnittet, så kallade mörka mönster (eng. Dark Patterns). Inom VSP:ar har Autouppspelningsfunktionen och Rekommendationer utsetts som stora anledningar till att konsumenterna fortsätter att titta. Etiska riktlinjer för UX-designers (de som formar användargränssnitt) kan vara en möjlig väg från detta, andra åtgärder som diskuterats har varit att lagstifta eller lägga tron i att konsumenterna själva kommer att välja bort de plattformar som använder manipulativ design. I syfte att undersöka respondenters medvetenheten om-, förmåga att hitta- och medveten om den potentiella påverkan- och förmåga att hitta mörka mönster på VSP:ar genomfördes en onlineenkät (n=56). Resultatet för undersökningen visar att även om användare i viss mån är medvetna om- och har förmågan att hitta en del av de givna mönsterna bär dessa skyddsegenskaper ingen signifikant relation till att få användaren att undgå att bli påverkad av manipulationen. / What happens when a product or service impairs the consumer's well-being? And profits increase the more this happens? An ethical dilemma has arisen within digital platforms, including video streaming platforms (VSPs), because of this. A consistent trend for VSPs but also for e-commerce and smartphone apps has proven to be the use of manipulative design in user interfaces, so-called Dark Patterns. Within VSPs, the Autoplay feature and Recommendations have been cited as big reasons for consumers to keep watching. Ethical guidelines for UX designers (the ones who shape user interfaces) could be a possible way out of this, other possible measures are to create a legislation or add to the belief that consumers will opt out of those platforms that contain manipulative design. In order to investigate the awareness of-, ability to find- and influence gained despite awareness of- and ability to find dark patterns on VSPs, an online survey was applied (n=56). The result of the investigation shows that even if users are aware to a certain extent and have the ability to find some of the given patterns, these protective properties do not having a significant relationship with the respondent being able to avoid influence from the patterns.

In the realm of corporate booking platforms, interface design plays a pivotal role in user satisfaction and efficiency. An identified issue concerning the usability of a prominent multinational's platform, used for scheduling workstations and meeting rooms, forms the basis for this investigation. Given the intertwined complexity of enhancing user experience and adhering to company-specific requirements, the problem remains largely unaddressed, marking its suitability and significance for a Master's thesis exploration. A user-centered design methodology, driven by comprehensive usability testing, iterative wireframing, prototyping, and consistent user feedback, was the primary approach to tackling this issue. The developed prototype demonstrated notable improvements over the existing platform in usability measures such as error reduction, task completion time, and an elevated System Usability Scale (SUS) score. These enhancements hint at potential efficiency and satisfaction boosts for the users, possibly leading to increased productivity and cost-effectiveness for the company. This investigation provides a valuable case study for integrating user-centered design principles in a corporate setting, laying a foundation for similar future endeavors. / När det gäller bokningsplattformar för företag spelar gränssnittsdesignen en avgörande roll för användarnas nöjdhet och effektivitet. En identifierad fråga om användbarheten hos ett framstående multinationellt företags plattform, som används för schemaläggning av arbetsstationer och mötesrum, ligger till grund för denna undersökning. Med tanke på den sammanflätade komplexiteten i att förbättra användarupplevelsen och följa företagsspecifika krav förblir problemet i stort sett obehandlat, vilket markerar dess lämplighet och betydelse för en magisteruppsats. En användarcentrerad designmetod, som drivs av omfattande användbarhetstester, iterativ wireframing, prototyping och konsekvent användarfeedback, var det primära tillvägagångssättet för att ta itu med detta problem. Den utvecklade prototypen uppvisade betydande förbättringar jämfört med den befintliga plattformen när det gäller användbarhetsmått som minskning av fel, tid för att slutföra uppgiften och en förhöjd poäng på System Usability Scale (SUS). Dessa förbättringar tyder på potentiella effektivitets- och nöjdhetsökningar för användarna, vilket kan leda till ökad produktivitet och kostnadseffektivitet för företaget. Denna undersökning utgör en värdefull fallstudie för integrering av användarcentrerade designprinciper i en företagsmiljö och lägger en grund för liknande framtida insatser.

Background – Digitalization and the utilization of ICTs in healthcare have revolutionized the healthcare industry through digital healthcare platforms (DHP). ICTs and DHP’s are highly beneficial for those who have the ability to use them, meanwhile increasing the digital segregation for those who cannot, e.g., elderly generations. Although, elderly generations can particularly benefit from utilizing DHP’s, e.g., enabling independent living. Furthermore, the elderly population is expected to grow globally in the upcoming years, which affects governmental expenditures on healthcare. Purpose – The aim of this study is to investigate what causes elderly not to adopt and use DHP’s, i.e., investigate and develop a deeper understanding of the central barriers for elderly. Furthermore, the second aim is to investigate how DHP providers better can facilitate increased adoption and usage among the elderly generations. Method – This study followed an abductive research approach of a single case company that offers healthcare services through a digital platform. To answer research questions, we primarily used a qualitative research method as well as quantitative data to strengthen our findings. In total, 22 qualitative interviews were conducted with respondents over 65. The interviews were divided between previous users of digital health platforms and non-users. The quantitative data were analyzed through SPSS where uni- and bivariate analysis was performed. Findings – Our finding disclosed that elderly experience mainly two barriers for adoption of DHP’s among elderly: negative attitudes and technology anxiety and one barrier for both adoption and usage: trust. This adds to the previous literature which has not made any distinction between adoption and usage of DHP’s among elderly. Furthermore, this study provides direct development suggestions that can enable increased adoption and usage. Theoretical implications – This study contributes to previous digital health literature by considering digital platforms a part of healthcare. We contribute with deepened knowledge regarding barriers that hinders adoption for elderly and by suggesting development suggestions that are able to bridge each barrier. Managerial implications – The managerial implications of this research are directed towards DHP providers on how they can facilitate increased adoption and usage respectively. The implications include design and marketing options that are able to enable the objective.

Den ökande och snabba utvecklingen av informations- och kommunikationsteknik har skapat ett nytt ekosystem inom hälso- och sjukvårdssektorn bestående av digitala plattformar. Detta har gjort det möjligt för patienter att söka och ta emot vård på nya sätt som tidigare inte var möjligt. Att digitalisera patientresan har visat sig vara effektivt och underlättar självständigt boende och enkel åtkomst för uppföljningskonsultationer för de som lider av kroniska sjukdomar. Trots detta är många människor, särskilt äldre, underrepresenterade i användningen av digitala vårdplattformar. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka äldre patienters beteende inom digitala vårdplattformar för att tillgodose behoven hos den större befolkningen och minimera den digitala klyftan. För att uppnå syftet formulerades följande forskningsfrågor: Vilka är skillnaderna i användningsbeteende mellan äldre och yngre primärvårdspatienter på digitala vårdplattformar? Vilka är de viktigaste förebyggande faktorerna som påverkar äldres användningsbeteende? Denna studie följde en mixad forskningsdesign. Vi använde SPSS för att utföra one-way ANOVA följt av ett Games-Howell post hoc-test för varje variabel som möjligtvis kunde förklara en skillnad i användningsbeteende mellan yngre och äldre primärvårdspatienter. För att svara på vår andra forskningsfråga genomförde vi 17 intervjuer med respondenter i åldern 60+ som tidigare använt en digital vårdplattform. Våra resultat visar att det finns en signifikant skillnad i användningsbeteende mellan äldre och yngre primärvårdspatienter. Den äldre generationen spenderar mer tid under anamnes, onboarding och i väntekö, där de i åldern 75+ sticker ut mest på alla uppmätta variabler. Den äldre generationen tenderade också att betygsätta tjänsten något lägre, uppskatta deras hälsa högre och bli tilldelad färre antal sjukvårdsexperter i processen jämfört med den yngre generationen. De viktigaste förebyggande faktorerna som påverkar äldres användningsbeteende är den upplevda användbarheten, upplevda användarvänligheten, deras digitala mognad, förtroende, och attityd till digital vård. Denna studie bidrar till den glesa litteraturen inom digitala vårdplattformar och äldres beteende efter adoption av informations- och kommunikationsteknik. Vi tillhandahöll ny kunskap om äldres användning av digitala vårdplattformar i jämförelse till den yngre generationen och lade till en förklaring angående vilka faktorer som påverkar användningsbeteendet hos den äldre generationen. Dessutom stärker vi nuvarande teori genom att betona vikten av att undersöka de påverkande faktorerna snarare än kronologisk ålder. Våra praktiska bidrag riktar sig till både plattformsägare och vårdpersonal med syftet att ge vägledning i hur dessa två aktörer ska agera för att öka användningen bland den äldre generationen, där utformning av plattformen och information är särskilt viktigt att ta hänsyn till. / The rise and rapid development of information communication technologies have created a new ecosystem in the healthcare sector consisting of digital platforms. This has enabled patients to access, seek, and receive care in new ways which was not previously possible. Digitizing the patient journey is proven to be effective while facilitating independent living and easy access for follow-up consultations for those who live in rural areas and are suffering from chronic diseases. Yet, many people, especially elderly, are underrepresented in the usage of digital healthcare platforms. The purpose of this master thesis is to investigate elderly patients’ behavior inside the digital healthcare platforms to accommodate the needs of the greater population and minimize the digital divide. To achieve the purpose, the following research questions were formulated: What are the differences in usage behavior between elderly and younger primary care patients in digital healthcare platforms? Which are the key antecedent factors that influence the usage behavior of the elderly? This study followed a mixed method research design. We used SPSS to perform a one-way ANOVA followed by a Games-Howell post hoc test for each variable that possibly could explain a difference in usage behavior between younger and elderly primary care patients. To answer our second research question, we held 17 interviews with respondents in the age of 60+ that previously had used a digital healthcare platform. Our findings reveal that there is a significant difference in usage behavior between elderly and younger primary care patients. The elderly generation spend more time during anamnesis, onboarding, and in waiting lines, where those in the age 75+ stand out the most on all measured variables. The elderly generation also tended to rate the service slightly lower, estimate their health higher and get assigned to fewer healthcare professionals in comparison to the younger generation. The key antecedent factors that influence the usage behavior of elderly is the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, their digital maturity, trust, and attitudes towards digital healthcare. This study contributes to the sparsely literature within digital healthcare platforms and elderly’s behavior after adoption of ICTs. We provided new knowledge regarding elderly’s usage of digital healthcare platforms in contrast to the younger generation and added an explanation of factors that influence the usage behavior. In addition, we strengthen current theory by highlighting the importance of examining influencing factors rather than chronological age. Our practical contributions address both platform owners and healthcare professionals and aims to give direction in how these two actors should act to increase usage among the elderly generation, where design of the platform and information are especially essential to take into consideration.

Due to the changing scope of data management towards the management of heterogeneous and distributed systems and applications, integration processes gain in importance. This is particularly true for those processes used as abstractions of workflow-based integration tasks; these are widely applied in practice. In such scenarios, a typical IT infrastructure comprises multiple integration systems with overlapping functionalities. The major problems in this area are high development effort, low portability and inefficiency. Therefore, in this paper, we introduce the vision of invisible deployment that addresses the virtualization of multiple, heterogeneous, physical integration systems into a single logical integration system. This vision comprises several challenging issues in the fields of deployment aspects as well as runtime aspects. Here, we describe those challenges, discuss possible solutions and present a detailed system architecture for that approach. As a result, the development effort can be reduced and the portability as well as the performance can be improved significantly.

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