THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA APP USAGE ON STUDENTS' ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES IN AI EDUCATION: A MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS CONTROLLING FOR AGE AND GENDER

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of social media app usage on students' ethical perspectives regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI), while controlling for age and gender. As AI technologies become increasingly integrated into educational settings, understanding how students develop ethical frameworks is critical for effective instruction. Using a quantitative, non-experimental research design, data were collected through a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire measuring students' perceptions across multiple dimensions of AI ethics, including fairness, transparency, accountability, and privacy. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was employed to examine differences in ethical perceptions based on social media platform usage, followed by Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) to control for demographic variables. Results revealed that social media app usage had a statistically significant multivariate effect on students' ethical perspectives (p < .001) with large effect sizes (Partial Eta Squared up to .700). This effect remained significant even after controlling for age and gender. Gender emerged as a significant factor influencing ethical reasoning about AI (p < .001), whereas age did not show a meaningful effect. Among the ethical dimensions examined, students showed highest engagement with data ethics content and the least concern for privacy-related issues. These findings suggest that educators should recognize the substantial role social media platforms play in shaping students' ethical understanding of AI technologies and develop instructional strategies that address platform-specific biases while promoting comprehensive ethical frameworks. The study highlights the need for curricula that bridge formal instruction with the informal learning occurring through social media platforms.