INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON VOTING BEHAVIOUR IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED VOTERS IN LAGOS STATE)

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON VOTING BEHAVIOUR IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED VOTERS IN LAGOS STATE)

​​​​​​BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The introduction of the internet and technology has exposed the majority of the world population to many interactive platforms on which various types of information are exchanged, which may have a substantial impact on human behavior, decision-making, and judgement (CES, 2012). Social media are new information networks and information technologies that employ a type of communication based on interactive and user-generated content to develop and sustain interpersonal connections. The introduction of the Internet as the new mass medium of the twenty-first century has significantly altered the mainstream media. As a result of the fast speed, cheap cost, and broad scope of information distribution, there is equal access to the creation and consumption of news (Sauter & Bruns 2016).

Today's social media has transformed the globe into a "global village," with the rapid diffusion of knowledge overcoming time and distance constraints (Andreadis & Chadjipadelis 2015). Social media has progressively become an essential way of influencing society, and this effect is solely based on its social characteristics of contact and involvement. As social media grows in popularity and reach, its influence on voters' political and cultural opinions cannot be overstated. Social media practically changes how users connect, communicate, and make decisions on social, cultural, and political problems in today's world.

Voting behavior is a type of political behavior displayed by electorates that may be impacted by a variety of elements such as emotion, race, and religion, causing people to make particular judgments. As observed by Mangold & Faulds (2019), gender, colour, culture, and religion all have a significant impact on how a voter behaves and the decision he takes when selecting a candidate of his choosing. However, major external variables such as political socialization, socio-cultural perspectives, tolerance of varied political viewpoints, and the media, including the internet, can all impact a voter's behaviour. The impact of these effects on voting behavior is determined by the voter's attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, and the source of accessible information.

Because of its ability to give immediate and affordable access to the production and consumption of current information in any area of the world without editorial screening, social media has become a strong medium that may influence voting behavior (Ladd, & Lenz 2018). Social media not only gives information on political affiliations, candidates, and party manifestos, but it also provides a venue for voters across cultural barriers to relate to and communicate with themselves on problems concerning these politicians.

As demonstrated by the recent March 28th Presidential elections in Nigeria, political parties, including the two major parties, used social media platforms such as online networking sites, blogs, mobile newspapers, news ads, and so on to campaign and mobilize not only youths but all classes of internet users to vote for them. This resulted in a plethora of exciting news and drama online, allowing individuals to read, reply, interact, dispute, and trash out concerns. Twitter, Facebook, blogs, online newspapers, and other social media platforms became forums for individuals to express their opinions on various candidates and influence others to their point of view through discussions, hashtags, and online campaigns. On national matters, this united all Nigerians together, regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, or religion.

 

According to Andreadis & Chadjipadelis (2015), almost every political party in the country used social media to campaign and push their ideas, messages, and manifestos to followers, including advertising, mobilization, and organization in all 50 states, and even financing. Facebook, YouTube, and especially Twitter were utilized to inform voters about how each party or specific candidate felt about critical national problems ranging from security to power. As a result, social media grew strong enough to influence voter decisions and choices, as many people who had made up their minds and consciences to vote for a specific party or candidate began to change their views depending on facts or ideas they found online about the party or candidate. The information obtained by a certain voter was also not static, as the same voter would use various online tools and buttons to broadcast the same message to other voters like him via mediums like as blogs, Facebook, chat rooms, and so on in order to influence them. 

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