The Continuance of Online Social Networks: How to Keep People Using Facebook?

The ability to retain and lock members in competitive situations is an important concern of online social network sites. In this study, we proposed a research model to investigate the factors influencing users' continuance intention to use Facebook based on the expectation disconfirmation theory and the motivations of using Facebook. We examined the role of satisfaction in affecting users' continuance intention to use Facebook and the effects of four kinds of disconfirmations as the antecedents of satisfaction. An online survey was conducted and data from 125 respondents were analyzed using PLS. The results showed that satisfaction was important in determining users' continuance intention to use Facebook. Positive disconfirmations of maintaining offline contacts, entertainment and information seeking had significant impacts on users' satisfaction with Facebook. Implications for both researchers and practitioners are discussed.