Impact of Twitter Ban on Online Social Communication
CHAPTER ONE
Objective Of The Study
The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of the Twitter ban in Nigeria on social communication. As a result, the specific goals are as follows:
- Examine if twitter ban in Nigeria will disrupt swift follow of information in the country.
- Investigate if twitter ban will delimit the expression of public opinions and perceptions towards social and political issues in the country.
- Determine the extent to which twitter ban will affect online social interaction in Nigeria.
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.
Precisely, the chapter will be considered in two sub-headings:
- Conceptual Framework
- Chapter Summary
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
SOCIAL MEDIA
The term ‗Social media‘ refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue. In the words of Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein, social media is “a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.” Social media is media for social interaction as a superset beyond social communication. Enabled by ubiquitously accessible and scalable communication techniques, social media has substantially changed the way organizations, communities, and individuals communicate. Social media takes on many different forms including magazines, Internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, microblogging, wikis, podcasts, photographs or pictures, video, rating and social bookmarking. By applying a set of theories in the field of media research (social presence, media richness) and social processes (self-presentation, self-disclosure) Kaplan and Haenlein created a classification scheme for different social media types in their Business Horizons article published in 2010. According to Kaplan and Haenlein there are six different types of social media: collaborative projects (e.g. Wikipedia), blogs and microblogs (e.g. Twitter), content communities (e.g. Youtube), social networking sites (e.g. Facebook), virtual game worlds (e.g. World of Warcraft) and virtual social worlds (e.g. Second Life). Technologies include: blogs, picture-sharing, vlogs, wall-postings, email, instant messaging, music-sharing, crowdsourcing and voice over IP, to name a few.
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 examine the impact of twitter ban on online social communication using social media users in Benin City, Edo State as case study. Hence, social media users in Benin City 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 two hundred and eighty five (285) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which 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.
DATA PRESENTATION
The table below shows the summary of the survey. A sample of 285 was calculated for this study. A total of 259 responses were received and validated. For this study a total of 259 was used for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Introduction
This chapter summarizes the findings into the impact of twitter ban on online social communication using social media users in Benin City, Edo State as case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.
Summary of the Study
In this study, our focus was to examine the impact of twitter ban on online social communication using social media users in Benin City, Edo State as case study. The study specifically was aimed at examining if twitter ban in Nigeria will disrupt swift follow of information in the country, investigating if twitter ban will delimit the expression of public opinions and perceptions towards social and political issues in the country, and determining the extent to which twitter ban will affect online social interaction in Nigeria.
The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 259 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondent are active social media users in Benin City, Edo State.
Conclusions
Based on the findings of the study, the researcher concluded that;
- Twitter ban in Nigeria will disrupt the swift follow of information in the country.
- The Twitter ban in Nigeria will also delimit the expression of public opinions and perceptions in social and political issues in the country.
- The Twitter ban in Nigeria will not affect online social interaction among residents of Nigeria to a large extent.
Recommendations
With respect to the findings of this study, the researcher recommends that citizens and residents in Nigeria should navigate their online social interactions previously carried out on twitter to other social media platforms like the popular facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Telegram etc. this is necessary because there is need to sample the opinion of the general over certain societal and political issues like the 2020 EndSars protest, the current state of insecurity in Nigeria etc. To the Nigerian Government, it is important to carry out all the administrations of the country with the integrity of democracy secured, so as to truly represent the system of Government we claim to practice in the international arena and have the citizens considered before the execution of any drastic decision.
REFERENCE
- 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
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- Barnes, N. G., & Mattson, E. (2009). Social media in the 2009 Inc. 500: new tools & New Trends. Retrieved February 2, 2010, from center for marketing research, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth: http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/studiesresearch/socialmedia2009.pdf
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