AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE ON GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined audience perception of social media influence on government policies and activities. Three objectives guided this study while two theories: Audience Gatekeeping Theory and Social Network Theory served as the theoretical underpinnings upon which this study was anchored. Survey Research Method was used while Purposive Sampling, Simple Random Sampling and Convenience Sampling Techniques were used to select 300 respondents from the population of this study with online questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. Findings revealed that social media platforms are popular means through which people are exposed to contents (news and information) on government policies and actions on daily basis in Nigeria. Despite the revelation that social media activities fuelled hate speech and violence, social media helped to stimulate public interest in the activities of government, enhance public understanding of happenings around actualization of government policies and provided a citizens-government interaction and feedback mechanism that help enhance citizens’ capacity to hold powerful political and public office holders accountable for their actions and inactions. This study however recommended that there should be regulated and responsible use of the social media through self-censorship, highlighting guidelines as eligibility criteria (for being a member of an online platform) and orientation by government and civil society groups on the proper use of social media.