By: Akinmoyeje Timileyin Precious
The social media just as the name implies was created as a platform for solving the problem of global communication while simultaneously enhancing networking and friendship irrespective of the distance barrier. The growth of this medium has been exponential since the times of platforms like the Ray Thomilson’s blog of the late 19th century to the sophisticated and advanced ones like Facebook, Twitter etc. With time, humans have found out more advanced way of utilizing this technological magic. Activities ranging from adverts to exhilarating ones like hook ups and matchmaking have all been tagged along with this medium. More interestingly, the ideal social media operate solely based on user generated contents making it easier to manipulate for personal gains. Hence, the advent of social media influencing.
Perhaps, most of us are oblivious to what this term really entails. Social Media influencing is a marketing term describing someone’s ability to influence other people on the social media community. As at 2016, an estimated number of about 2.65 billion people used social media. This figure amounts to about 38% of the world population! No wonder issues shaping national and international politics, even campaigns and adverts are brought to this media. Just so you know, approximately 96% of the social media users are influenced by the things they see on these platforms.
Protests, public marches, public unrest and even international crisis can be and have been initiated on social media platforms. Governments, business agencies, organizations etc. would utilize this cyberspace to its own advantage. Like the popular Nigerian parlance “Naija no dey carry last”. Nigeria also has her fair share of social media influencers. Individuals who due to one reason or the other have gathered a vast network of people to themselves. Amazingly, some of these individuals make a living for themselves through the respective platforms to which they belong. Just as the aphorism goes “with great power comes great responsibility”. Power in this context are pieces of information passed across to vast amount of people by influential people in the media world. Has Nigeria been doing this right? How much good influence does the media have on the people?
Sadly, the social media space in Nigeria has been found to be at most times devoid of valuable content and has been disregarded by moralists and sometimes business-minded individuals as a total waste of time. The so called influencers have bounced right off the principle of content creation and have employed funny ways of amassing network and money to themselves. An average influencer apparently makes pornographic or abusive contents taking advantage of the hidden Mr. Mischief in human to amass social wealth. Analysing the total damage done, one might begin to laud government policies depriving people of the use of the social media.
It would be imperative that any individual intending to go into this world be oriented on the proper use of media influence. The importance of having a particular relevant content and carving a niche in that field is important. The relevance of the minds reading (especially teenagers) is important not just the money to be made. Apparently though, some things about our already full blown and decayed social space can’t be changed. How then do we right the wrongs?
The most important thing is for individuals to know and understand the relevance of what they indulge in on social media platforms. Little drops as they say make a mighty ocean. It would be very easy if individuals begin to see the social media as a platform for personal and national development, if it can be seen as a platform to develop business, if it can be seen as a platform to learn about your health. It would really go a long way if we start to go after value adding contents. Consequently making our time on social media worth spending.
Furthermore, the government has a direct or indirect role to play in determining relevance of the contents Nigerians get on Social media. Rather than implement anti-social media bills, why not make policies that censor the contents on the cyberspace. Policies shaping contents backed up with punishment for offenders directly or not would go a long way to reducing social media misuse. This is not impossible, partnering with social media owners would further emphasize the seriousness of such government.
Finally, the importance of the social cyberspace can’t be overemphasized. As students, there are lots of value-adding activities to indulge in while taking advantage of the power of the social Media. Also, as a country, one of the best way to reach the masses is via the social media. Henceforth, it would only be logical if Nigeria takes the social media seriously, making sure not to abuse its purpose. The power to shape our future is in our hands; wisdom dictates that we shape it right.
