Local or bubble: Uses of mobile phone apps, IT identity and adaptation of non-local students in Hong Kong and the UK

Social and cultural adaptation in host countries is crucial for the well-being of international students. Research suggests that information and communication technologies (ICTs) enable international students to develop knowledge of new environments, expand and maintain social networks, and participate in community activities, contributing to their integration into host societies. However, little has been explored on how ICTs are related to their identities during adaptation. Drawing on the information technology (IT) identity concept, we regard ICTs as part of migrants’ identity and argue that a local IT identity benefits international students’ psychological and socio-cultural adaptation. Based on an online survey among students from mainland China in Hong Kong (N = 146) and the UK (N = 202), we found that using locally popular mobile apps contributed to their local IT identity and enhanced their adaptation. On the other hand, using home country apps negatively impacted the local IT identity and hindered adaptation. The mediating effects of local IT identity were more pronounced among UK participants. This study suggests that ICTs not only provide a space for migrants’ acculturation but could also be potential pathways for international students to establish new identities. Staying in the home countries’ ‘ICT bubbles’ might constrain their adaptation to the host society.