Risks to online safety in social media use among university students in Ha Noi

Abstract

This article examines the risks to online safety arising from social media use among university students in Hanoi – a group that is young, active, yet particularly vulnerable in the digital environment. The study is based on a survey of 1.149 students from three universities in Hanoi, combined with a review of relevant literature to identify common risks and assess their severity. The findings reveal that more than 80% of respondents had encountered at least one online safety threat, with each student facing an average of 3, 4 risky situations, concentrated in three main domains: data security and privacy, information access, and online social relations. Among these, violations of personal data and privacy were considered the most severe, followed by exposure to misinformation, harmful content, and incidents of harassment and fraudulent activities. These risks are interrelated, amplifying their overall negative impact. Accordingly, the paper provides empirical evidence and proposes solutions for promoting a safe, humane, and sustainable digital society.