A Critical Analysis of the Impact of Twitter’s Ban on Government Transparency and Accountability
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the study
The main focus of this study is to examine the Twitter ban’s effect on government transparency. The study specifically seeks to:
- Investigate the importance of social media for government transparency.
- To examine the extent of government transparency through the Twitter platform before the ban.
- To determine whether the current Twitter ban will have an impact on citizens’ perceptions of the government’s transparency and accountability.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Our focus in this chapter is to critically examine relevant literatures 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.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in three sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework
- Theoretical Framework, and
- Empirical Review
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
CONCEPT OF 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). According to Dominick (2009:283) Web 2.0 is the idea of a second generation Internet that is highly participatory, allowing users to improve it as they use it. Social media contents are primarily written and published by their users and not owners or employees of the site. For instance, most adverts, videos and pictures on Facebook and Twitter are uploaded by visitors of the sites.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
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 out to critically analyze the impact of twitter’s ban on government transparency and accountability. Selected Twitter users in Ikeja, Lagos State form the population of the study.
SAMPLE SIZE DETERMINATION
A study sample is simply a systematic selected part of a population that infers its result on the population. In essence, it is that part of a whole that represents the whole and its members share characteristics in like similitude (Udoyen, 2019). In this study, the researcher adopted the convenient sampling method to determine the sample size.
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 two hundred and sixty-six (266) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only two hundred and fifty-nine (259) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 259 was validated for the analysis.
TEST OF HYPOTHESIS
HO1: Nigeria’s Twitter ban does not have a negative impact on citizens’ perceptions of government transparency.
HO2: There is no significant relationship between the Twitter ban and government accountability.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
In this study, our focus was to critically analyze the impact of twitter’s ban on government transparency and accountability using Twitter users in Ikeja, Lagos State as a case study. The study specifically was aimed at investigating the importance of social media for government transparency, examine the extent of government transparency through the Twitter platform before the ban, and determine whether the current Twitter ban will have an impact on citizens’ perceptions of the government’s transparency and accountability.
The study adopted the survey research design and conveniently enrolled participants in the study. A total of 259 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are drawn from Twitter users in Ikeja, Lagos state.
CONCLUSION
Based on the finding of this study, the following conclusions were made:
- Nigeria’s Twitter ban does have a negative impact on citizens’ perceptions of government transparency.
- There is a significant relationship between the Twitter ban and government accountability.
RECOMMENDATION
In the light of the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are hereby proposed:
- 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.
- Nigeria is a democratic nation therefore, the government should know that transparency and accountability is one of the sole role of democracy in the country. Social media is one of the major platform where the happenings in the country is been communicated to the populace via different news channels and individuals. The government of Nigeria should therefore, uphold the doctrines of democracy by lifting the ban on Twitter usage and grant citizens access to free information flow.
REFERENCES
- Abdelsalam, H et al. (2013): Social media in Egyptian government websites. Presence, usage, and effectiveness. In: Government Information Quarterly, 30 (4): 406-416.
- 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
- Alakali, T. T., Faga, H. P., & Mbursa, J. (2017). Audience perception of hate speech and foul language in the social media in Nigeria: Implications for morality and law
- Asuni, j. B. And Farris, j. (2011). Tracking social media: the social media tracking center and The 2011 Nigerian elections. Abuja: Shehu Musa Yar‟adua foundation.
