The goal of this manuscript is to present a research finding, based on a study conducted to identify, examine, and validate Social Media (SM) socio-technical information security factors, in line with usable-security principles. The study followed literature search techniques, as well as theoretical and empirical methods of factor validation. The strategy used in literature search includes Boolean keywords search, and citation guides, using mainly web of science databases. As guided by study objectives, 9 SM socio-technical factors were identified, verified and validated. Both theoretical and empirical validation processes were followed. Thus, a theoretical validity test was conducted on 45 Likert scale items, involving 10 subject experts. From the score ratings of the experts, Content Validity Index (CVI) was calculated to determine the degree to which the identified factors exhibit appropriate items for the construct being measured, and 7 factors attained an adequate level of validity index. However, for reliability test, 32 respondents and 45 Likert scale items were used. Whereby, Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α-values) were generated using SPSS. Subsequently, 8 factors attained an adequate level of reliability. Overall, the validated factors include; 1) usability-visibility, learnability, and satisfaction; 2) education and training-help and documentation; 3) SM technology development-error handling, and revocability; 4) information security -security, privacy, and expressiveness. In this case, the confirmed factors would add knowledge by providing a theoretical basis for rationalizing information security requirements on SM usage.

As in other socioeconomic spheres, social networks and media are veritable tools for education as they provide easy channels for information and knowledge exchange and their trendy nature make them very attractive and portable among the young and old. However, these applications are fraught with security challenges ranging from surveillance to invasion of privacy and unwarranted tampering with user data regardless of the seemingly impressive underlying rights of users as claimed by the vendors as to user accounts. Various vulnerabilities are reported daily as well as data leaks. There appears to be no end to these unwarranted infringement on rights of users. Sadly, majority of the popular social networking platforms irrespective of their modus operandi are guilty of this silent crime. Users of such applications are often carried away with flashy features without paying reasonable attention to the security and privacy of their data. In many cases users appear to have relinquished their privacy rights to these platforms owing to the fact that many users who suffer data breaches are either ignorant of such or may not have the wherewithal to challenge the vendors through legal actions. Interestingly a large chunk of users are unaware of their fundamental rights on such platforms. This paper underscores the relevance of social networks and social media in tertiary education vis-à-vis the popularly used social networks and advocates for the evolution and institutionalizing of specific tertiary education social network (TESN) that captures the unique demands of students and lecturers. The rapid application development paradigm is used to demonstrate a prototype of a TESN that ensures privacy and security of user data. It is concluded that this application presents a comparative performance while offering institutional data protection, privacy and security of user data.

The purpose of this manuscript is to present research findings based on the reported cases of medical information breaches due to Social Media (SM) usage, in selected medical institutions in Uganda. The study employed online survey techniques. Altogether, 710 questionnaires (Google forms) were developed, and operationalized. The main respondents included 566 medical students, and 143 medical staff from