How does the world connect? Exploring the global diffusion of social network sites

This study explores the main determinants of social network adoption at the country level. We use the technology‐organization‐environment (TOE) framework to investigate factors influencing social network adoption. The authors use cross‐sectional data from 130 countries. The results indicate that social network adoption, at the country level, is positively influenced by the technological maturity, public readiness, and information and communication technology law sophistication. Technological, organizational, and environmental factors altogether accounted for 67% of variance in social network adoption. These findings provide a first insight into the usage of social network sites at the country level, as well as the main factors that influence public adoption. Implications for research and practice are discussed.