Barriers to Social Media Adoption among Malaysian Public Sector PR Practitioners

Muhamad Zaki Mustafa, Mohd Faizal Kasmani, Mohd Yahya Mohd Ariffin, Md Rozalafri Johori

Abstract


While the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) effectively explains technology adoption through perceived usefulness and ease of use, the meaningful integration of social media in public sector public relations (PR) remains highly complex. This study aims to explore the structural barriers that hinder the effective acceptance and utilization of social media among PR practitioners in the Malaysian public sector. Employing a qualitative research design, this study conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight public sector PR practitioners, encompassing both operational communication officers and senior decision-makers. The interviews were conducted between January 2025 until July 2025. The data were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis to identify key institutional challenges. The analysis revealed four primary barriers restricting effective social media engagement namely, structural and policy constraints, severe resource and staffing limitations, crisis management pressures and the prevalence of fake news, and a lack of two-way communication. This study contributes to the existing literature by qualitatively contextualizing TAM within public sector PR. It demonstrates that beyond functional efficiency, digital technology adoption is heavily mediated by organizational norms, bureaucratic control, and psychological barriers such as the fear of public criticism. The findings suggest that successful social media optimization requires dedicated staffing, structural support, and flexible communication protocols, rather than just technical competence.

 

Keywords: Public relations, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), public sector, social media, institutional barriers.

 

https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2026-4203-27


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