1. Introduction
The emergence of
social media platforms has fundamentally altered how people interact,
communicate, and exchange information. Social media has permeated millions of
people's daily lives, especially the youth, thanks to the extensive usage of
platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and
TikTok. However, concerns have been raised regarding these platforms' potential
negative effects on young people's moral development and behaviours. Over the
past ten years, social networking sites have become incredibly popular. A
global exchange of ideas, opinions, and experiences is now possible because of
the growth of these platforms, which have revolutionized how people connect and
communicate. According to a report, there were approximately 4.66 billion
social media users worldwide (Statista 1). One of the most involved and active
demographics on social media sites are the young people. Social media's
attraction stems from its capacity to foster a sense of community,
self-expression, and connection with peers. A study conducted by Pew Research
Center revealed that 88% of young adults aged 18 to 29 years use social media,
with 78% using it on a daily basis (Smith and Anderson 5).
While social
media offers numerous benefits, concerns have been raised about its potential
negative impact on the moral development of young individuals. Critics argue
that excessive use of social media can lead to a variety of issues; including
cyberbullying, fake lifestyle, addictive behaviors, decreased self-esteem, and
exposure to inappropriate content (Kuss and Griffiths 101; Primack et al. 221).
Anyigba community like any other community in Nigeria is socially exposed to
this, as a result of globalization and technological advancement. In support of
this, Okpe opines that, society develops in response to the contact and
interaction between human beings and their materials, social and intellectual
environment (21). Technology has made it possible via the help of the internet
for people to exchange information online without physical contact or
proximity. Social Media platforms have been of great advantages to youths in
the 21st century. On the other hand, it has also contributed to moral decadence
among youths in Anyigba community and even globally. This paper describes
selected social media platforms. It also evaluates the socioreligious life of
Anyigba community. Furthermore, the paper seeks to examine the positive and
negative influences of selected social media platforms on the moral life of
youths in the Anyigba community.
Concept of social media
Social media
refers to online platforms and applications that allow users to create, share,
and interact with content in virtual communities. These platforms typically
enable users to connect with friends, family, and peers, and engage in various
activities such as sharing photos, videos, thoughts, and opinions. Boyd and
Ellison define social network sites as web-based services that allow
individuals to create a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system,
articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and view
and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the
system (212). In the same vein, Power said Social media is a collection of
websites and applications built on the idea of enhancing networking and sharing
of information online (897). Over a period, social media have evolved as an
interactive social platform for conversation and collaboration, as well as for
sharing information and expertise (Singh et al. 1417). Poell and Borra examine
social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr as platforms for
alternative journalism. They emphasize how these platforms enable citizens to
document and share news events, challenging traditional media gatekeeping and
providing alternative perspectives (697). Kaplan and 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 (61).
Brief Description of Selected
Social Media Platforms
Facebook: Founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, Facebook initially started as a
platform for college students to connect. It expanded rapidly and opened to the
general public in 2006. Facebook has evolved into a global social networking
platform for sharing updates, photos, and connecting with friends and family.
It's also used for businesses to create pages, run ads, and engage with
customers. In February 2004 Mr. Zuckerberg launched "The Facebook",
as it was originally known; the name taken from the sheets of paper distributed
to freshmen, profiling students and staff. Within 24 hours, 1,200 Harvard
students had signed up, and after one month, over half of the undergraduate
population had a profile. The network was promptly extended to other Boston
universities, the Ivy League and eventually all US universities. It became
Facebook.com in August 2005 after the address was purchased for $200,000. US
high schools could sign up from September 2005, and then it began to spread
worldwide, reaching UK universities the following month (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/jul/25/media.newmedia
).
WhatsApp: WhatsApp was founded in February 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan Koum,
former employees of Yahoo! In January 2009, after Koum purchased an iPhone, he
and Acton decided to create an app for the App Store. The idea started off as
an app that would display statuses in a phone's Contacts menu, showing if a
person was at work or on a call. Koum named the app WhatsApp to sound like
"what's up". WhatsApp introduced a user-friendly messaging service.
It was acquired by Facebook in 2014. WhatsApp offers text, voice, and video
messaging, as well as sharing media and documents. It's widely used for personal
and business communication globally (https://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2014/02/19/exclusive-inside-story-how-jan-koum-built-whatsapp-into-facebooks-new-19-billion-baby/?sh=4d8aff302fa1
).
Instagram: Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched Instagram in 2010 as a
photo-sharing app for iOS devices. It was later acquired by Facebook in 2012.
Instagram is primarily focused on visual content, allowing users to share
photos and videos. It's popular for personal expression, lifestyle influencers,
artists, and businesses to showcase products and services. By March 2012, the
app’s user base had grown to approximately 27 million users. In April 2012,
Facebook (now Meta) made an offer to purchase Instagram for about $1 billion in
cash and stock; a key provision was that the company would remain independently
managed. Shortly thereafter and just prior to its initial public offering
(IPO), Facebook moved forward and acquired the company for $1 billion in cash
and stock (https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/102615/story-instagram-rise-1photo0sharing-app.asp)
TikTok: Developed by Chinese company Byte Dance, was launched
internationally in 2016. It gained massive popularity for short-form video
content. TikTok allows users to create and share short videos set to music,
with various effects. It's used for entertainment, creative expression, and
viral challenges. Byte Dance, a China-based technology company develops TikTok,
a video-based social media platform which is the first Chinese-made social
media platform that reached global popularity, crossing 2 billion accumulated
downloads in April 2020. The app started in China under the name Douyin, and
was released as TikTok tailored for the international market (https://citizenlab.ca/2021/03/tiktok-vs-douyin-security-privacy-analysis/)
Twitter: Created by Jack Dorsey in July 2006, Twitter is a microblogging
platform that limits posts to 280 characters. Twitter is used for real-time
updates, news sharing, expressing opinions, and connecting with a wide audience
through tweets and hashtag. On October 27, 2022, business magnate Elon Musk
acquired Twitter for US$44 billion, gaining control of the platform. Since the
acquisition, the platform has been criticized for facilitating an increase in
content containing hate speech. Linda Yaccarino succeeded Musk as CEO on June
5, 2023. In July 2023, Musk announced that Twitter would be rebranded to X and
that the Twitter bird logo would be phased out (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter)
LinkedIn: Founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn is a professional
networking platform aimed at connecting people in the business world. LinkedIn
focuses on building professional connections, job searching, sharing industry
insights, and business networking. LinkedIn is a business and
employment-focused social media platform that works through websites and mobile
apps. It was launched on May 5, 2003. It is now owned by Microsoft. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinkedIn).
Socio-Religious Life of
Anyigba Community
Anyigba's social
life, like that of many Nigerian towns, revolves around close friendships,
cultural practices, and communal gatherings. Anyigba's social system is deeply
embedded in. Igala culture, influencing many aspects of daily life. The Social
life of Anyigba community is reflected in various activities, events, religious
and socio-cultural gatherings like the Italo festival, Ocho Festival, Market
activities etc. For example, market and commercial activities contribute to the
social and economic life of the people. Those places serve as important meeting
places for people to exchange their products or goods. Marvelous disclose this
in an interview:
"Businesses like eateries, restaurants, supermarket, churches
and mosques also play a part in the social life of Anyigba community. Religious
activities like prayers, mouloud, night vigils, crusade, seminars, bring people
together which can help them interact and socialize. It also brings about peace
in Anyigba community. the socialization in religious activities most times
helps people to know the needs of each other and how to assist each other
especially in times of needs" (Marvelous, oral interview).
It also enables
people to meet, engage in social interaction and share ideas together. The
markets in Anyigba do not only serve economic purpose but they also create an
opportunity for people to connect and strengthen their social tie. Anyigba
community encourage togetherness, communal living through social, religious and
cultural festivals. “The Igala, like many other people in Africa and indeed all
over the world, have very many religious and social festivals” ( Etu 108).
This is seen in the way her dwellers come together to celebrate cultural events
like Italo, ogba and festivals like ibegwu. In this respect, Okpe stated that,
"Occasions for celebration and festivity in Igala are diverse ranging from
social to cultural events. In most cases, festivities are celebrated annually
to mark a special event in the traditional life of the people; this may last
for a day or more depending on the festival in question” (11-12).
These gatherings
often promote unity and peaceful coexistence among Anyigba people. Similarly,
Okpe said "it is a forum towards improving and maintaining the
socio-cultural identity of Igala as a people through social and cultural
animation” (164). Religious activities and institutions also constitute the
social life of the people. Anyigba community is a town where different religions
are practiced. African Traditional Religion, Islam and Christianity are the
religions that are practiced in Anyigba. Christianity and Islam are the most
practiced religions even though African tradition religion has it place. Places
of worship such as mosques, churches and shrines are platforms for spiritual
activities and a place where people get to meet each other for interaction
within the community. When we talk of festival celebration, Anyigba community
is not left out. They celebrate different kinds of religious festivals and
cultural events such as Italo, Ibegwu, Igala day etc. During this events,
traditional music, dance, arts are displayed. Okwoli opines that, “annual
festivals are days for singing and dancing. When people meet for this, they like
to sing, clap hands and express their joy and thanksgiving to the spirit"
(34). For example, the Italo festival is a socio-cultural festival that
attracts thousands of people from within and outside the community. It brings
people of different backgrounds together to celebrate their cultural heritage.
It also serves as a place for social interaction and integration. Discussing
this Okpe asserts that, “Italo is more of a festival of unity celebrated yearly
at the most central town in Igalaland. Italo as a social and cultural festival
has the potential of not only uniting the various classes of Igala people
independent of educational ranks and qualifications but has the capacity of
building bridges across religious inclinations and divides” (13).
Another major
factor that contributes to the social life of Anyigba community is the present
of the institution, Prince Abubakar Audu University. This is located along
Ankpa-Benue road. The students of the school engage in diverse forms of social
activities like cultural day, Igala day, inikpi day, fresher’s welcome party.
All these social activities bring people together and create a forum for social
discussion. In an interview with Musa Marvelous, she has this to say about the
role of the institution in the social life of the people:
“The school and the students contribute largely to the social life
of Anyigba community. The school is an institution that brings different
individuals from different backgrounds, it brings them together regardless of
their backgrounds, this can help the students to learn each other's culture
which can bring about tolerance and acceptance between the students" (
marvelous, oral interview).
Positive Influences of Social
Media platforms on the moral life of youths in Anyigba Community
Social media has
drawbacks; it has unquestionably benefited the young people in Anyigba
community in a number of ways. It has provided a forum for communication and
social connection, given them access to resources that improve their
educational and personal lives, raised awareness and provided access to
information, to name just a few of the many advantages it provides. The
researcher will go over some of the positive influence that these platforms
have had on the lives of youth in Anyigba community in this section.
Platform for
Communication and Social Connection: Social media platforms help youths in
Anyigba community to communicate with friends and family regardless of
location. Contrary to earlier times, when communication was not as people
perceive it today, it makes communication simple and efficient. Since most
young people in Anyigba community use social media, it is simple to communicate
ideas and opinions with others around the world. Transportation is now
expensive because of hike in fuel price; social media can help to end the
challenge with physical connection and communication. Social media also
enables youths in Anyigba Community to connect with friends, relatives, and
others in their age group. These relationships can deepen linkages between
people, cultivate a feeling of community, and encourage morally upright actions
like extending assistance to those in need and empathetic behavior toward
others. For example, they are users of social media that have gotten help
through giveaway from friends on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram,
especially when physical connections fail.
Access to
Personal Development and Educational Resources: Youths in Anyigba can have
access to resources on social media platforms that can advance their academic
and personal development. They can find a variety of resources on websites like
YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn that can help them in both their personal and
professional lives. Additionally, there are certain social media influencers
who aim to educate people on a variety of life topics. Youths have access to
training, tutorials, and educational videos that can help them increase their
knowledge and abilities. Distance learning is possible via the aid of social
media especially during COVID-19 pandemic. Students in some institutions use
social media for lectures, presentation and even examination. This can help to
reduce cost implications on the side of the students. On social media
platforms, for instance, young people can learn about money, relationships,
digital marketing, and other topics. These can assist Anyigba youths in
developing the skills necessary to become dependable and financially savvy.
They are youths within Anyigba community that have increased their cooking
skill by simply watching tutorials on social media platforms.
Create Awareness
and Access to Information: It is crucial to be aware of what is going on in
one's immediate surroundings. Social media platforms serve as avenues for the
dissemination of information. Anyigba community's youths get reliable
information on global events, which can raise their knowledge of other people's
cultures and ways of life. According to research, youths primarily obtain
their news through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. On social media,
news quickly spread like wildfire from almost anywhere in the world. This can
occasionally be overpowering, but it can also keep us informed of crucial
occurrences. This might be a tremendous advantage if you need to spread the
word about something quickly. For instance, if someone passes away in the
nearby town like Egume, the news will immediately be on social media platforms
especially Facebook. This keeps the youths of Anyigba community informed and
aware of the happenings within Anyigba community and the entire world.
Impact on
Business and Organizations: in anyigaba community, there exists several
business which are majority of these businesses are owned by the young
individuals. Social media has been of help to businesses and organizations in
Anyigba because we are in the information age. Everything, including business,
is moving toward digitalization. One cannot understate the importance of social
media platforms in modern business. Now that social media platforms have so
many benefits for the business sector, businesses and companies understand the
necessity of being on these platforms. Through social media marketing,
Companies within Anyigba community utilize social media sites like Facebook,
Instagram, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn to market their products, offer their
services, and find new employees. Most businesses use LinkedIn for employee
recruitment, but it also helps them get users to their social media pages,
which can increase sales. Findings show most companies use people's information
on social media platforms to employ them into their organization.
Effects of Social Media
Platform on the Moral life of Youths in Anyigba
The youths in
Anyigba community increasingly rely heavily on social media either for
networking, building relationships, Sharing contents and other purposes. This
has a negative impact on all facets of their lives, particularly their
morality. For instance, through influencers culture majority of youths in
anyigba community have been led astray. This is because they tend to follow the
lifestyle of those influencers that they follow on on social media. According
to Emmuella Onogu:
“There are different types of influencer on social media. A youth
will tend to go with the choices he/ she wants to make. A youth will want to
get into the latest trend of his or her own influencer. For example, Bobrisky
is an influencer that come out on social media platforms and tell people the
way they should live their lives, how they should dress, the way they should
follow her because she's a transgender, and one that believes that
homosexuality is not really a bad thing will be looking up to Bobrisky as a
mentor or someone that can make him/her open to the public (Onogu Emmanuella,
Oral interview).
The society
should all be grateful for the opportunities and advantages that social media
presents, but research has proven that these platforms do not come without
consequences for society. Most of the young individuals in Anyigba community
use social media especially, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram. As a
result of excessive use of these platforms and exposure to contents that has a
detrimental effect on their morals, the society today, and Anyigba youths in
particular, are engaging in immoral behavior. Simeon Ilemona states:
“The advent of social media has created a society where people no
longer socialize as it used to be. Everybody are just touching their phones,
one of the effect is that it makes youths lazy. Instead of going about to carry
out their daily activities, they prefer to just stay and chat on social media.
It also exposes youths to some information that ordinarily they wouldn’t have
access to. it exposes them to pornographic videos and sensitive sexual
materials online, which they won't get ordinarily. Social media creates a kind
of spatio-temporality, to break that barrier, it now exposes even the youths to
western world. postmodernist ideologies are been brought into as a result of
social media, where people are talking about Same-sex marriage, cloning,
invitro fertilization etc which are not even part of our own culture.
The negative
effects of social media usage are numerous and continue to affect the youths in
anyigba community. Ilemona further stated that:
As a result of social media, it now bridges the bridge of communication,
given the youths of Anyigba access to communicate on global scale which now
exposes them to Western Culture. These are the challenges that emerge with the
introduction of social media. More so, youths today are advocating for gender
equality, feminist ideology, these are problems that are gotten from social
media. Most of these ideas are western ideas that are gotten from social media
platforms and they want to practice it without considering the fact that the
socio-cultural life of a traditional African man differs to a large extent from
that of the westerners, this can bring confusion in the society which is
against cultural norms and values (Oral interview).
The researcher
will discuss the various ways that social media platforms negatively influence
Anyigba youths moral life.
It affects
Physical Relationship: Excessive use of social
media can cut down on face-to-face social interactions, which are essential for
the growth of social abilities like empathy and moral reasoning. Most youths in
Anyigba today own personal cell phones which give them the opportunity to
access social media and building online relationships. Sani Lois supports this,
in her opinion:
“The use of mobile phone has negative implications. It can be so
addictive even among the older generation if not properly managed. They have
access to vast and uncensored information on internet and the extent to which
they gain information is not even regulated here in Nigeria. As a result many
of them get carried away by what they see or consume online" (Oral
interview).
As it is called
global village today, any person anywhere can be reached and form
relationship. You see Majority of youths in Anyigba are carried away
especially with their phones without being aware of what is happening around
them. The youths in Anyigba community no longer invest in their physical
relationship; all they focus on is online relationship which cannot be compared
to physical relationship. This is moving the community from African communalism
to western individualism because, this create a Mentality of "me and
myself" alone. This loss in interpersonal relationships could impede the
development of the youth’s moral ideals in relation to collaboration, respect,
and effective communication. Unlike before when people cherish relationships
and cared for people around them, all that has been altered since the
introduction of social media. Online relationship is growing while physical
relationships are now depleting. This is a serious side effect of social media.
Poor Academic
performances among Youths in Anyigba: social media
is negatively affecting the academic performance of youths in Anyigba
community, as students spend excessive time on various platforms like Facebook,
Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, WhatsApp. Time that should have been invested in
growing academically and learning new things through research is now spent
aimlessly on these platforms. For example, some young students of Prince
Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, fail their continuous assessment and some
fail examination because they prioritize being online over studying and
preparing for their studies. One of the respondents, a postgraduate student
said:
"Excessive usage of social media affects the students in
several ways. Firstly, it makes the students reluctant to study because, they
just stay all day watching movies on social media. The time they are supposed
to use in studying their books is used in watching videos which affect their
academic performance and sometimes they can even be in long conversation with
their fellow course mates no remembering the task before them, this can
discourage seriously to their studies” (Simeon Ileomna, oral interview).
Majority if not
all the youths have access to mobile phone which give them opportunity to
access social media platform. A typical mobile phone user in our period finds
it difficult to compose a letter since they are used to texting, which has
bankrupted them in the area of letter writing. This is supported by the fact
that most pupils fail the English language in this era. Anyigba youths who are
students have less time for their studies as a result of their addiction to
social media and mobile phones, this leads to examination malpractice. Exam
misconduct is on the rise in schools, particularly tertiary institutions, as
students use mobile phones and mobile internet to cheat during exams. In tandem
with what Simeon Ileomna said, Hannah Joseph, an undergraduate student of
Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba, said:
"I think social media addiction affect students academic
performance, if that student becomes a social media addicts, the times that
should have been spent on reading, you use it for chatting, listening to music,
downloading things that don't help academically. If it were that you had use
your time or part of your time to go online download things that helps you
academically is better but, if you go online solely for the purpose of
downloading music, Tiktoking, WhatsApp and Instagram and other social media
platforms, you wouldn't have time because some people can spend hours from
morning till night being online and they don't get tired, same thing the next
day, when they wake up, they go to class and sometimes they can even skip
class, because while using their phone, time might just be going and they
often say things like in the next 30 minutes I will stand, in the next 10
minutes I will stand up and such person can end up skipping the class due to the
time wasted online" (Interview).
Unhealthy
Comparison and Fear of Missing out (FOMO): Among
youths in Anyigba community, social media lead to constant social comparison
and a fear of missing out (FOMO). Inadequacy, envy, and a concentration on
materialistic ideals can all result from this comparison. The frequent use of
social media by youths in Anyigba community exposes them to influencer culture
and other types of content that are detrimental to their psychological
wellbeing. For instance, the majority of influencers flaunt their expensive
homes, vehicles, clothes, and way of life. Between them and their followers,
this could lead to unhealthy comparisons. One of the issues facing the youth in
Anyigba community is that as long as social media influencers display their
material possessions, homes, and wealth, it would be easy for their followers
to develop a materialistic mindset. Nowadays, the majority of young people in
Anyigba community are motivated by material possessions; some even make
unnecessary purchases in an effort to mimic the lifestyles that social media
has made possible for them. This goes against conventional qualities that were
once valued, such as contentment. More to it, the researcher expressed concern
that a person's use of social media platforms to check their friends' updates
could have a negative impact on their psychological health and wellbeing by
increasing feelings of depression, moodiness, and unhappiness. This is entirely
attributable to the comparisons people make between themselves and their
friends in their minds. When they realize that their lives do not meet up to
the standards they observe on social media, some people could feel as though
they are missing out. To mimic what they see on social media, some people may
even turn to immoral actions like stealing, prostitution, and rituals. Such
negative feelings could harm their moral growth by encouraging a competitive
and shallow worldview.
Cyberbullying: this is another serious side effect of using social media among the
youths in Anyigba community. Cyberbullying according to Merriam Webster
dictionary, is the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person
(such as a student) often done anonymously. Social media sites like Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram can develop into havens for cyberbullying and online
abuse, which can have detrimental effects on Anyigba youths moral development.
Online aggressiveness and exposure to negative material can reduce empathy,
encourage abusive behavior, and result in deterioration in their moral values.
It also affects their self-confidence and results to low self-esteem. For
instance, the researcher has seen this repulsive behavior by some young
individuals in Anyigba community especially students, where people on their
numerous social media accounts post offensive things about someone else,
especially when relationships have ended. Both of them involved will post
disparaging comments about the person they just broke up with.
Laziness and
Time Wastage: Social media usage is a time waster
especially when one becomes addicted to it. From the researcher's experience it
not a false assumption that constantly engaging in social media can take your
precious time. Youths may get entangled on social media platforms with
interesting contents and conversation for hours without knowing that time is
actually going. Some youths in Anyigba community stay on social media from 7pm
till 2am the following day; these people may not be doing anything serious
other than engage in less important activities on these platforms especially on
Facebook. Social media can also lead to laziness among Anyigba youths when not
properly used. Most youths in Anyigba community are always checking for new
messages on their social media platforms, this keep them glued to their phones.
It becomes difficult for them to go about their daily activities since they
want to always be in touch with their cell phones. This has resulted to many
youths being lazy and many are unproductive in Anyigba community.
Poses Risk
for Cybercrime: most youths in Anyigba community
are fraudsters (yahoo) and others are victims of internet fraud. In recent
years, social media has dramatically increased the rate of cybercrime in
Anyigba community. Cybercrime simply means online stealing. Cybercrime is the
term used to describe any theft or fraud committed via phone, computer, or social
media. This is typical of young people in Anyigba and throughout Nigeria.
Youths are now stealing people's money on social media platforms, mainly
Facebook and WhatsApp, due to their desire for materialism and quick money. One
of the negative effects of social media on youth in Anyigba communality as
discovered by the researcher is the prevalence of fraudsters' actions online.
The majority of young in Anyigba people are victims of this immoral behaviour.
Nowadays, youths break into people's bank accounts and personal information to
steal all of the victim's money. Most of them see this immoral act as a normal
thing meanwhile; this menace is against traditional African values.
Sexual
Promiscuity: social media platforms create
opportunities for young individuals in Anyigba to meet, socialize, and share
contents. However, this opportunity has been abused in most cases. Through
social media, youths have access to pornographic images and videos which is
harmful to their moral development. Social media give opportunity for Anyigba
youths to connect with both male and female gender; this has made it easy for
them to indulge in sex chat which can lead them to fornication. Some youths in
Anyigba have made sexual immorality a hobby. Some connect with friends of the opposite
sex on social media just to engage in sexual activities. Before social media,
people used to refer to persons who engage in sexual immorality, especially
those who stand by the side of the road, as prostitutes. But the situation
today is different. "Hookup" is the term used to describe
prostitution today. In order for potential customers to invite them over for
immoral behavior, several female youths in Anyigba, for instance, left their
contact information and photos in hotels. Since many were being used by yahoo
guys for rituals, several youths in Anyigba community have died in this act.
Lack of
Privacy: most youths in Anyigba community lacks
privacy as a result of being careless with their personal information on social
media platforms. Social media sites frequently gather and distribute personal
data, posing issues with privacy and security. The hazards of identity theft,
cyberstalking, and internet scams may be unintentionally taken on by young
people. This possible weakness may have an impact on their moral principles of
caution, faith, and appropriate online behavior. Youths revealing every detail
of their lives on social media are another aspect of Privacy that the
researcher noticed among youths in Anyigba community. People used to keep secrets
before social media was invented. As a norm, there are certain facts about a
person that should be kept secret, but today everyone wants to demonstrate that
they are not lazy. In the past, there were some things about people you would
not know until it was revealed to you. Some young people in Anyigba today lack
discretion and privacy; instead, they choose to post details of all their
movements and activities on social networking sites like Facebook, WhatsApp,
and Instagram. Some people could engage in it to receive likes and approval
from friends online without realizing the negative effects. For instance, when
a young person buys anything or even travels to a new place, the first thing
they do is post about it on social media. This can leave them open to many
risks.
It encourages
Fake Lifestyle: Fake life is one of the adverse
effects of social media on the moral life of youths. Fake life is living a life
that is not true or genuine. It also means portraying the false image of you.
Youths in Anyigba community and society as a whole have suffered as a result of
how a polished lifestyle is portrayed on social media. When one is continuously
exposed to pictures of people who appear to be having perfect lives, it is
simple to compare oneself to them and feel inadequate. Speaking about the
negative lifestyles of youths in Anyigba community, Honorable Stephanie opines
that:
“Most influencers influence youth negatively. They display a
lifestyle that is not real with their audience making some youths feel they are
not doing enough or living the best life for their age. Some are not sincere
enough to make people see the reality; they are concerned about living a life
to bring audience thereby making youths believe that you don’t need hard work
to get the life you want. They make success seem easy to youths with the
different lifestyle they display. The need to be perfect and look perfect for
the public has led a lot of youths to all sorts of crime. Most of them want to
be like those they see on the internet without questioning their source of
income” (Oral interview).
Anxiety,
despair, and feelings of insecurity may emerge from this. A sensation of
detachment may result from the disconnection between actual life and the
carefully cultivated online identity. The pursuit of a false lifestyle can
result in debt and unhealthy routines. To keep up the illusion of a glamorous
life, many people feel pressured to spend money on pricey vacations, chic
clothing, and opulent experiences. This constant pressure to satisfy others'
expectations and follow fashion trends frequently results in reckless
expenditure and debt. People may put worldly goods ahead of long-term financial
stability out of a desire to be liked and followed, which can make them feel
validated.
Impact on
Youth’s Financial Life: Social networking sites can
have a negative impact on young people's financial lives if they are used
excessively. In Anyigba community, the majority of young people use at least
one social media site. To be visible on social media, data is needed, and users
of social media pay money to purchase this data. TikTok, Instagram, and
YouTube are just a few of the social media sites that use a lot of data. Any
user using these sites, notably TikTok, has to have enough data to do so
efficiently. Amazingly, some young people in Anyigba pay huge amount of money
on monthly subscriptions. One of the youths said, he does not really take note
of his spending on subscription but he is sure he does not spend anything less
than 5000 on subscription in a month (oral interview, Onoja Matthew). Another
youths said that he spend up to 10,000 naira on monthly subscription. In order
to know why he spends so much, the researcher asked the respondent, this was
his response, “I am a sociable person, I'm virtually on almost all the social
media platforms, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp amongst others, I also
indulge in research online, so I consume more of data, Also as a graduate
without an employment you know we will be more involved in social media activities
to keep us busy" (Adejoh Stephen, oral interview). Some of the youths
hardly feed properly but the addiction that comes with using social media
platforms won't allow them to stay offline. They go about begging people on
social media for money and most cases subscription. The majority of youths in
Anyigba use TikTok, giving them access to the platform's information.
"TikTok is known for its viral trends, which can lead to overconsumption,
especially when it comes to purchasing items that are not necessary. Creators
often promote products, fashion items and gadgets, which can create a sense of
urgency to buy. Additionally, the app's algorithm shows users more of what they
engage with, creating a cycle of consumption. Youths in Anyigba are trapped in
overspending and impulse spending which negatively affects their financial
life. They spend Money they don't have, buy things they don't need, to show
people who don't even like them. Also, alot of youths in Anyigba precisely have
fallen victims of scammers who promised them fast ways to make money on social
media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp respectively, this had resulted to
massive financial loses and financial bankruptcy on the side of the youths.
To prevent it
from negatively affecting their financial well-being, it is essential for young
people to be careful of their social media use and form healthy habits. Also,
it is crucial to set screen time restrictions, evaluate marketing critically,
and foster financial literacy.
Conclusion
The research on
“an assessment of the impact of selected social media platforms on the moral
life of youths in Anyigba community” reveals both positive and negative
consequences. On the positive side, social media platforms have provided
opportunities for communication, networking, and access to information. They
have also offered platforms for personal and business growth, educational
support and raising awareness on various social issues. However, there are
significant concerns about the negative impacts of social media platforms like
Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram on the moral life of youths.
Excessive use of social media can lead to addiction, cyber bullying, privacy
invasion, and unhealthy comparison, sexual promiscuity, and time wastage. It can
also contribute to decreased in-person interactions, increase fake lifestyle,
financial bankruptcy, and erosion of traditional moral values. More so, it also
discusses other factors like family factor, insatiable taste for Materialism,
bad leadership, westernization and negligence of religious activities, all
these were discussed as other causes of moral decline among youths. Therefore,
it is crucial for parents, educators, community leaders, and policymakers to
guide and educate youths on responsible and ethical social media use, ensuring
that the negative effects are minimized while the positive aspects are
harnessed for personal and community development. By striking a balance and
judiciously utilizing social media platforms, youths in Anyigba community can
navigate the digital landscape while upholding their moral integrity and
well-being.
Recommendations
Since social
media has form a basis of youth’s life in the 21st century, it becomes
expedient to ensure a responsible use of social media platforms among youths in
Anyigba community, therefore, researcher recommends the following:
·
Government should implement programs or
workshops that aim to enhance the digital and information literacy skills of
youths. This will enable them to critically evaluate and navigate social media
platforms, understand the consequences of their online actions, and make
informed decisions about the content they engage with.
·
Encourage parents and guardians to actively
participate in their children's digital lives by fostering open communication,
setting boundaries, and monitoring their online activities. This involvement
can help guide and regulate the youths' social media usage and promote
responsible behaviour online.
·
To avoid the negative of social media on youth’s
mental health, it is recommended that the youths in Anyigba community should
learn to properly use social media and also reduce the amount of time spent on
these platforms; because excessive use of these platforms can negatively affect
their mental well-being which can indirectly lead to other moral concerns.
·
Encourage youths to participate in peer support
groups where they can openly discuss their social media experiences and worries
and receive guidance from their peers.
·
Promote awareness and encourage youths to adopt
ethical behavior while using social media platforms. This can include being
mindful of the content they share, avoiding cyber bullying or harassment,
respecting others' privacy, and promoting positive digital citizenship.
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