Social Media, Crowdsourcing and Everyday Life Information-Seeking: Cultural Heritage Preservation in Borneo Rural Communities

Borneo’s diverse ethnicities in Sarawak face significant geographical and linguistic challenges, making it difficult to document and protect its rich cultural heritage. This study examines the impact of social media on Everyday Life Information-Seeking (ELIS) behaviours within these rural communities. By applying Chatman’s theory regarding the social and psychological aspects of information-seeking, along with Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT), we explore the reasons for media use in this context. Our approach, which combines qualitative crowdsourcing and expert evaluation, demonstrates that social media plays a crucial role in preserving Borneo’s cultural heritage. Over 8 months, we collected 342 verified entries related to Sarawak’s cultural heritage, with an impressive 88.4% reliability in the crowdsourced information. The data, primarily sourced from WhatsApp and Facebook, showcased a diverse range of cultural practices across different ethnic groups. These findings illustrate the effectiveness of social media as a platform for documenting and preserving cultural heritage in rural Borneo. Additionally, they provide valuable insights into the complexities of information-seeking in small, isolated communities and offer practical recommendations for using social media to support cultural heritage preservation efforts.