Network Restriction to Twitter Platform: a Bridge to Fundamental Rights of Nigerian Citizens (a Case Study of Twitter Ban)
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The main objective of the study is to examine network restriction to twitter platform: a bridge to fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens. Specifically the study seeks
- To examine the if social networking such as twitter promoted Nigerians’ freedom of communication and association.
- To investigate if government network restriction to twitter platform will affects citizens freedom of communication and association.
- To determine if the Nigeria Government Twitter ban is a bridge to the fundamental human rights of her citizens.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and furthermore recognize the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media are computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks Users typically access social media services via web-based technologies on desktop computers, and laptops, or download services that offer social media functionality to their mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers). When engaging with these services, users can create highly interactive platforms through which individuals, communities and organizations can share, cocreate, discuss, and modify user-generated content or pre-made content posted online. They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between businesses, organizations, communities and individuals. Social media changes the way individuals and large organizations communicate. These changes are the focus of the emerging field of techno-self studies. Social media differ from paper-based media (e.g., magazines and newspapers) or traditional electronic media such as TV broadcasting in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, interactivity, usability, immediacy, and permanence. Social media operate in a dialogic transmission system (many sources to many receivers). This is in contrast to traditional media which operates under a monologic transmission model (one source to many receivers), such as a paper newspaper which is delivered to many subscribers or a radio station which broadcasts the same programs to an entire city. Some of the most popular social media websites are Baidu Tieba, Facebook (and its associated Facebook Messenger), Gab, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitter, Viber, VK, WeChat, Weibo, What sApp, Wikia, and YouTube.
EVOLUTION OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media have evolved through Web 2.0, a term coined to describe a new wave of Internet innovation that enables users to publish and exchange content online Kaplan and Haenlein (cited in Eun 2011:6). Social media encompass a wide range of electronic forums, including blogs, microblogs (e.g., Twitter), social networking sites (e.g., Facebook), creative work-sharing sites (e.g., YouTube), business networking sites (e.g., LinkedIn), collaborative websites (e.g., Wikipedia), and virtual worlds (e.g., Second Life). Among these social media, social networks and microblogs are the most popular, accounting for 22.7% of all time spent online in the United States ACNielsen (cited in Eun 2011: 6).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
NTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried to examine network restriction to twitter platform: a bridge to fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens using FCT as case study. Twitter users in Abuja form the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
TEST OF HYPOTHESIS
HO1: Government network restriction to twitter platform will not affects citizens freedom of communication and association.
H1: Government network restriction to twitter platform will affects citizens freedom of communication and association.
HO2: Nigeria Government Twitter ban is no bridge to the fundamental human rights of her citizens.
H1: Nigeria Government Twitter ban is a bridge to the fundamental human rights of her citizens.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
The focus of the study is to examine network restriction to twitter platform: a bridge to fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens. The study examined if social networking such as twitter promoted Nigerians’ freedom of communication and association. It investigated if government network restriction to twitter platform will affects citizens freedom of communication and association. It determined if the Nigeria Government Twitter ban is a bridge to the fundamental human rights of her citizens.
The study adopted a survey research design and conveniently enrolled 80 participants in the study. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from Twitter Users in Abuja. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
COCNCLUSION
The social media explosion over the previous decade has had profound influence on many facets of daily life. if necessary
Findings from the study revealed present Twitter ban is a severe abuse of authority since it prioritizes the President’s personal interests over the interests of the country and its inhabitants as the ban was not carried out democratically. The prohibition is a serious breach of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Constitution, which the President, Minister of Information, and Minister of Justice pledged to respect. Findings from the study revealed that the ban is a grave violation of the fundamental human right of the citizens. By infringing citizens’ right to the freedom of expression and association, it violates section 39 of the Constitution, while undermining the social and economic rights guaranteed Nigerian citizens by Chapter 11 of the Constitution. Finally, network restriction to twitter platform will affects user citizen’s freedom of communication. As The ban signifies an gross assault on a number of international, continental and regional instruments that Nigeria willingly subscribes to. Indeed, the ban clearly falls below their expectations of the realm of the rights and freedom that citizens should freely enjoy.
RECOMMENDATION
From the findings from the study, the researchers therefore recommends that:
- The federal government of Nigeria should endeavour to go back to their drawing board and make necessary amendments to the ban on Twitter usage in Nigeria.
- The federal government of Nigeria should recognize that the ban on Twitter is affecting different spheres of the economy. They should adhere to the terms and rules of ECOWAS and revoke the ban since the ban is a bridge of the fundamental rights of the citizen.
- Nigerians should develop the habit of patience and perseverance in pursuing their rights and entitlements especially with regards to other law enforcement agencies and the justice system and not just leave everything to the Almighty God and counting on the last day of judgement.
- Nigerians should (within the ambit of law) be resistant to any form of rights violation whether by individuals or authorities. 5. There should be all round political will and commitment by the various stakeholders on rights to genuinely safeguard, enforce and ensure compliance with rights provisions as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria and other related charters.
- There should be comprehensive and extensive civic education from the grassroots level to educate and enlighten Nigerians from different categories on the significance of rights and related constitutional provisions for safeguard and enforcement.
- Provision of legal aid services should be revived and encouraged all over the country.
- More so, open and accessible human rights documentation centres should be established especially by nongovernmental organizations to guard against excessive abuse of citizens’ rights and document where it occurs for legal and other purposes
REFERENCES
- Agboola SH (2009). “Democratic Practices in the Third World”. J. Third World Democracy, I(4):342-367.
- Ajazeera New: How Nigeria’s Twitter ban stands to impact people, businesses:https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/6/7/nigerian-twitter-ban-how-government-restriction-affects-people.
- Ajazeera New: Nigerians on Twitter react to Nigeria’s Twitter suspension: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/4/nigerian-twitter-users-blast-govt-ban-of-social-media-giant
- Edwards, A., Housley, W., Williams, M., Sloan, L., Williams, M. (2013). Digital Social research, social media and the sociological imagination: Surrogacy, augmentation and re-orientation. International Journal of Social Research Methodology
- Finer SE (1997). The History of Government (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
- Gallie WB (1956). ‘Essentially Contested Concepts’, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 51:167-198.
- Geddes B (2010). Political Experiences in Nigeria, Retrieved Jan 10, 2014
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