EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON NATIONAL SECURITY IN NIGERIA, 2015-2024

The advancement of internet has grown social interaction across all sphere of life. The far-reaching ability and anonymity it provides have advanced the communication patterns of citizen to citizen, citizen to government and vice versa. This advancement as brought by the new media revolutionised the communication pattern of social interaction as well as government operations. National security is one of the most precarious aspects of governance in any country today. Several governments across the globe have resorted to use of social media platforms in their operations including interactions and communication with their citizens. This study examined the effect of social media on national security in Nigeria. Premised on the technological determinism theory, the study employed questionnaire and in-depth interviews conducted among communications and security experts in Nigeria. Findings of the study revealed that there is a link between ineffective use of new media and the spread of security threats in the country. The paper also found out that it is mainly as a result of the rise of fake news, unsubstantiated claims, misinformation, disinformation, seditious messages and conspiracy theories, propaganda, lack of policies, regulation and unethical influencers. The study established that Boko Haram leaders continue to use Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other Jihadist networks to claim responsibility, celebrate success and issue threats for further attacks. Thus, it is recommended the Nigeria government should involve National Orientation Agency in enlightening the general populace on the potentials of new media as well as how to deploy such to enhancing national security. This is because a lot of people do not have trust on the new media especially because of the rise in the misinformation, disinformation, propaganda and fake news among others.