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Social networking sites (SNSs) have experienced an intensive usage rate around the globe, which is a reflection of advanced internet technology and the growing smartphone usage (Hong, 2018). The present study focuses on Facebook, which was uncovered to the public in 2006. Facebook offers different services to its users, such as instant messaging and audio and video communication. Furthermore, users can react to others’ posts through likes, comments, and shares (Hossain & Kim, 2018). Notably, Facebook has been evident as a blessing for business organizations, customers, and students. For example, the customers who obtain social benefits (e.g., interaction with organizations), functional benefits (e.g., information seeking), and unique treatment benefits (e.g., faster services) from the Facebook pages of business communities remain committed to their brands (Radzi et al., 2018). Moreover, the firms that gratify the customers' belongingness needs through their Facebook pages get them actively and continuously involved in their offerings (Wiese & Akareem, 2019). Facebook also provides students with a platform for sharing beneficial outcomes. For instance, the students who perceive the benefits of reciprocity (e.g., mutual knowledge sharing), enjoyment (e.g., fun and pleasure), and outcome expectations (e.g., strong rapport, cooperation, and network; improved sense of accomplishment) to be gained from using Facebook groups are more inclined to exchange course-related information with other members (Moghavvemi et al., 2017).
Given the recent report by Statista (2021), Facebook has been ranked first among all other global social networks, following the highest number of active users (i.e., 2.74 billion) as of January 2021. However, to keep this achievement going on, the Facebook service provider needs to retain its users for a long time because the success of any information system (IS) depends on attracting and retaining its users (Bhattacherjee, 2001). Hence, examining the motivations behind Facebook users’ continuous usage intentions is meaningful, and the gratification value obtained from Facebook may motivate users to continue using the same.
Gratification value refers to a user’s personal needs that are perceived to be satisfied by SNSs (Ku et al., 2013). Several dimensions of gratification value, such as passing the time, information seeking, enjoyment, social interaction, social influence and escapism, social relationship, technology appeal, self-presentation and discovery, social presence, interconnectivity, social enhancement, and functional gratifications have been explored in predicting members’ intentions to use SNSs (Yap & Gaur, 2016; Hossain, 2019; Yen et al., 2019; Raza et al., 2020; Hossain et al., 2019). Additionally, other factors, including social pressure, satisfaction, and habit, have been recognized as the antecedents to the usage intentions of SNSs users (Ameen et al., 2019; Rad et al., 2019; Raza et al., 2020; Hossain et al., 2019; Dhir et al., 2019; Hong, 2018; Ifinedo, 2016; Fard et al., 2019; Liu et al., 2018; Gan et al., 2017; Lee & Kim, 2020; Shao et al., 2020; Ampong et al., 2018). However, no prior research incorporated gratification value with different dimensions, social pressure, satisfaction, and habit, into a single model to predict SNS users' continued intentions.