Social media and youth mobilisation during the End SARS protest

Abstract

Social media has become a significant medium of communication for youth mobilisation in Nigeria.It gives a platform for young people to interact, share knowledge, and organise around social and political issues. This research investigated the role of social media in youth mobilisation in Nigeria. It focused on how young people have utilised social media to effect social and political change. The study was hinged on the technological determinism theory which was propounded by Marshall McLuhan in 1964. The paper adopted the quantitative research approach, employing the use of questionnaire, and a case study of the ENDSARS social campaign. The study highlighted the ways in which social media has enabled young people to challenge and contest established power structures and to amplify their voices in public discourse. The study also identified some of the challenges and risks associated with social media mobilisation, such as network problems, threat to personal safety, unprofessional and unethical conduct, to mention few. Overall, the paper established that, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for youth mobilisation in Nigeria, providing a platform for the young to connect, organise and demand change. In conclusion, the paperrecommended that social media should be used with caution, and that the youthsmust be mindful of the dangers and challenges associated with online activism.