Research Article: 2020 Vol: 24 Issue: 5
Houssem Edine Nasr, University of Tunis el Manar
Nadia Eleuch Mhiri, University of Gabes
Kaouther Saied Benrached, University of Tunis el Manar
This paper aims to show the impact of Facebook addiction on Internet users and proposes the solution of the problem through the ethical approach of Social Responsibility (CSR). It sensitizes managers to this ever-increasing disorder among users of Facebook and invites them to take an interest in the physical and mental health of users when developing their strategies.
Addiction, Facebook, Ethics, CSR, Stakeholders.
Facebook is a social network that has created a revolution on the Net, since 2004 this site provides a multitude of services for its users through interactions with peers, sharing videos, photos and information ect. Facebook users went over the 2.5 billion persons in 2019 (statista.com), has become a social phenomenon with a very acute potential and has favoured a particular behaviour among the consumers of this technology, namely the 'Addiction‟.
The addiction to Facebook or rather the “Facebook Addiction Disorder” (FAD) was classified as a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the fifth and latest version of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and has created, subsequently, a number of problems to these users.
To face this rising issue, it is a necessity for the Facebook Company to have a sense of responsibility by encouraging users to use this interface in a wiser way and any misuse. The purpose of the company should not be limited solely on the provision of services to its consumers but it must also extend to a true social and ethic vocation making the firm a citizenship-oriented.
To cope with this growing problem, it is necessary that the Facebook company has a sense of responsibility by encouraging users to use this interface wisely and to avoid any misuse. The purpose of the company must not be limited to the sole provision of services to its consumers but must also extend to a true social and ethical vocation making the company a corporate citizen. . Today, companies have an interest in seeking transparency on the rules of the game as opposed to some of its different partners (shareholders, employees, customers and communities). On the other hand, companies that share "unethical" behavior are increasingly exposed to the risk of sanctions from their consumers. For this reason, corporate ethics, also called business ethics, calls on managers to also reflect on their practices so that their key values are respected and promoted so that satisfaction of the general interest is optimized. Hence the importance of developing corporate social responsibility (CSR).Thus, the central question of this research is: what extent can a CSR policy be useful to limit Facebook addiction?
Facebook Addiction
One of the troubles that emerge from Internet addiction is the Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) (Marcial 2013). Most studies on the excessive use of Facebook show an addictive behaviour (Busalim et al., 2019). Facebook could be addictive with several negative consequences on people's lives (Wolniczak et al., 2013). Addiction to this social network can be created through activities that a person can do on this site, for example (talking with friends, playing games), as well as other activities offered by the site (Griffiths, 2012).
Recently many researchers have focused on the study of potential relationships between social networks and mental health problems including pathological disorders (Błachnio et al. 2016). Students are among the most important visitors to the site because they spend a lot of time in front of their computers hypnotized and lost in what was subsequently determined to be nothing other than "Facebook addiction" (Charnigo & Barnett-Ellis 2007). Users should reduce time and other types of behavior such as sharing content, updating status on a continuous basis, as these activities can cause dependency symptoms and anxiety when separated from Facebook (Xie & Karan 2019).
Companies owning sites like Facebook must follow an ethical approach also have to elaborate an awareness procedure to users about pathological use.
Ethics: An Indispensable Dimension of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
In an environment constantly evolving in which values are constantly challenged at political, social and economic levels, companies are faced with new responsibilities and must practice marketing based on ethical value and respect for the individual and the environment. CSR becomes an essential element that is an integral part of companies‟ strategic choices. (Carroll et al. 1983) defines social responsibility as a way to manage the business in a way that makes it economically profitable and that respects both the law and ethics.
In addition, several studies have shown that CSR can be considered as a strong growth driver and a guarantee of sustainability of the firm. Thus, the results of a study conducted by „France Stratégie‟ in 2016 under the name of "Corporate Social Responsibility and Competitiveness" reveals that CSR generates an average economic performance gain of around 13% compared to companies that do not do not integrate into their strategy. Another study conducted in February 2018 by (Associés 2018) showed that in France CSR is a pledge of good reputation. As such, 90% of consumers said they liked more companies with a quality CSR policy and 88% believe that a good CSR policy improves their perception of an organization.
Thus, the role of companies is not only economic but it extends towards responsibilities toward all members of society. We should witness, by the time, a new business model called stakeholders, as opposed to the corporate model shareholders (Kotler, 2012), which assumes that managers have an obligation to act, exclusively, in the interests of shareholders.
According to (Freeman and Medoff 1984), "any group of individuals or any individual who may assign or be affected is considered to be a stakeholder in the business” by achieving the objectives of the organization ".
Stakeholder theory shows that the firm is an entity with connections to its environment in which relationships that include stakeholders are established (Mullenbach, 2007). It is driven by other interests than those of shareholders, amongst which are groups such as employees, suppliers, customers, shareholders, the local community, society and interest groups (Donaldson & Preston 1995). Indeed, today‟s manager is led to find a balance between the interests of the company and those of internal and external and external stakeholders so to develop his business without forgetting to eliminate, or at least minimize the damage that its activity could have their life, health and well-being. The company‟s overall strategy is then formulated so that the principles of CSR are respected and integrated into its value chain, resulting in a set of policies containing socially responsible practices.
Clinicians have proven that the excessive use of the social network Facebook creates an addiction to this site, this addiction is behavioral and it was even mentioned in the last version of DSM. Facebook must have a sense of ethics and apply even more the foundations of the Corporate Social Responsibility. According to the SCRHUB site, which compared Facebook to 19040 other companies. it obtained as a score 54 at the level of the CSR assessments give the perceived performance on an absolute scale from 0 to 100.
Focus even more in this kind of program, companies like Facebook will have to take an interest in the physical and above all the mental health of these users and make them aware of the addiction to their site.