THE DIGITAL DILEMMA: PUBLIC RELATIONS IN THE AGE OF CYBER-ACTIVISM IN NIGERIA

The job of public relations professionals across the world is not only difficult but was recently complicated by the advent of digital platforms. With a population largely dominated by active youths who have access to the internet and digital platforms, Nigerian PR professionals have found the PR job more tasking, tiring, and complicated. The Internet penetration and availability of smartphones among Nigeria’s youths created the opportunity for millions to express their views on public and private matters. One of the downsides of this is the rising attitude of the Nigerian youths to rebel, protest and attack organizations, politicians, celebrities, etc., on social media while they hide under their virtual identity. This paper discusses the professional landmines that PR professionals have to contend with as many youths are becoming critical of organizations, politicians, celebrities, etc., under the banner of activism and freedom of speech. The systems theory of PR was reviewed in lieu of the issues commonly faced by PR practitioners on the web. Discourse analysis was used to focus on issues of cyber-activism, content sharing, comments, and social media influencers. It was concluded that contemporary PR professionals in Nigeria must carefully thread the digital space as the web space is constantly evolving and digital natives are attacking any content with rage. Nigerian PR practitioners should take cognizance of the legal issues, digital copyrights, and privacy concerns that pose actantial threats to the digital space.