THE IMPACT OF FAKE NEWS ON THE SOCIETY
ABSTRACT
In this study, false news’ effects on Nigerian society are examined using the case study of Yaba Institute of Technology in Yaba, Lagos state. The study’s population is made up of 100 students that were chosen at random, A self-made questionnaire was used to collect the data, and the basic percentage approach was used to analyze the results. The instrument’s reliability and validity were confirmed. The research’s data analysis reveals that fake news is widely spread in Nigeria; even well-known blogs and newspaper websites like Punch, The Nation, and Linda Ikeji occasionally do so, and fake news also has a negative influence on people. Yet, the study suggests that online newspapers should use the traditional newspaper’s operational approach. The editor of the paper should conduct a final review after the article has been written perfectly, subjected to the strict examination of the head of the reporter’s desk, and checked again by the news editor and his staff with a strong re-write desk to ensure that the piece corresponds to a house style.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stated that “no official of the EFCC was authorized to speak with Sahara Reporters on the said story or on any issue affecting the investigation of the Paris Club refund” in response to a story that had been published on the online platform Sahara Reporters. Also, the Senate President revealed that the publisher of Sahara Reporters has a propensity of fabricating stories and using anonymous sources. He was the subject of the narrative. Yet this is not a one-time occurrence. Another significant incident of fake news that dominated Nigeria’s media was the alleged passing of President Muhammadu Buhari on January 19, 2017, just after he started a medical leave in the UK. The masterminds were so daring that they copied the US Huffington Post or the UK’s Metro newspaper to falsely report that President Buhari had passed away in London. While “Metro” said that the Nigerian president had “died,” “Huffington Post” claimed that he had been caught “suicid[ing]”. Both stories featured the same image of Buhari and contained identical text. These contradictions did not, however, stop the spoofs from fueling the Buhari death rumors that went viral on several websites and social media in Nigeria, which sent the internet into frenzy. Given this, it is understandable why Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, stated in February 2017 that false news is a greater threat to the nation than terrorism and insurgency. He listed some of the misleading reports the Information ministry has had to deal with in the following manner: We’ve just recently had to disprove the myth that modern-day Nigeria is the most difficult country for Christians to live in. There was also the untrue claim that the Nigerian military had armed the Fulani herdsmen and encouraged them to launch attacks. These stories are all false, untrue, and have the power to pit one faith or community against another. (Premium Times, 2017-02-21) The Kaduna State governor, Mr. Nasir El-Rufai, said that “what he posted may have led to killings and we are trying to link the date of the postings to attacks that happened the next day on Fulanis” when the founder of Chocolate City, Audu Maikori, was detained by security personnel for publishing a false report about the unrest in the southern part of the state. (Pulse.ng, March 3, 2017) This study aims to determine how the prevalence of false news is damaging Nigerians’ credibility in light of these cases and others that demonstrate how the practice is taking on a life of its own there accord popular online newspapers operating in the country. This is bearing in mind the submission by Ekwueme (2008, p. 91) that: Your readers want the facts you heard or observed from your various sources, and not figment of your own imagination. Many people believe media messages to be gospel truth and, of course, some of the readers believe either rightly or wrongly that anything that is not carried in the media is not authentic. Since they have that trust in you, you don’t betray it. If you betray it, you have betrayed yourself and the integrity of your medium.
“The media, whether electronic or print, often set agenda for the public to follow; they observe trends and occurrences in our society and raised their agenda based on what they have monitored,” writes Asemah (2009, p.37). Any topic that the media brought up becomes a matter of public interest. Online newspapers should be delivering a tremendous service to humanity by electronically recreating the news to cater to a far bigger audience than its newspaper subscriber base. As they are providing readers with more information than any other publisher in history at a time when information is more valuable as a commodity than ever (1998). The society stands to lose out considerably if well-known online newspapers, in the face of vanishing, fail to maintain the pride of place previously occupied by the print newspaper in defining the agenda and, among other tasks, holding government accountable to the people.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
According to Motsaathebe (2011, p. 14), “The news media is typically recognized as a reliable source of a factual account of events worldwide. Journalists use a variety of sources when reporting the news to confirm or provide credibility to the information they present “. According to Kolawole (2017), “Fake news is becoming the greatest thing in town. The art of fabricating articles from your bedroom because you have a smart phone with inexpensive connection is growing more and more popular. That is not new, though. This current social media generation did not invent it. Throughout the most of our lives, we have been exposed to phony news. For instance, false information led to the 1989 SAP riots.
The aforementioned claims highlight how fake news affects not just the media but also society. The problem of fake news is spreading like wildfire thanks to the development of new media, and its detrimental effects on well-known online newspapers are plain to see. “The falling faith in mainstream media could be both a cause and a consequence of fake news acquiring more popularity,” said Allcot and Gentzkow (2017, p. 7). If false news has an influence on traditional newspapers, consider what it will do to large internet publications. The difference between social media and popular online newspapers is not totally understood by everyone in the country due to the low literacy rate.
Some people still hold the opinion that there is no distinction between Facebook and a major news website. To this extent, it is feared that any unfavorable perceptions of one will be shared by the other. Popular online publications are too crucial to the fabric of society to be completely tarnished by what people write on social media.
1.3 Objective of the Study
This study’s major goal is to determine how fake news has affected Nigerian society. The study specifically aims to;
1. To determine whether the media in Nigeria contribute to the spread of false information.
2. To determine the frequency with which instances of fake news are reported in the nation
3. To understand how Nigerians view news coverage in the nation.
4. To understand how fake news affects the target audience
1.4 Research Questions
1. Does Nigerian media contribute to the spread of false information?
2. How frequently are instances of fake news reported in the nation?
3. How are Nigerians seen in terms of news reports in the nation?
4. How does fake news affect the target audience?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The results of this study will help media professionals comprehend the magnitude of the harm that false news is causing to their industry. Students would learn the benefits of relying on reliable information sources rather than embellishing user-generated content on social media to utilize as a tale for their audience. In order to avoid misinterpreting the information transmission, this study will assist readers in understanding the distinction between news from social media and news from traditional media. This study will also act as a starting point for future research on the same subject by other researchers.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study will be focusing on bringing to light the impact which fake news have on the perception of students in Yaba College of Technology, Lagos state. It studies the fake news dissemination particularly on how people react to fake news.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Finances for the general research project will be a challenge during the study period. Nonetheless, it is anticipated that these limitations will be overcome by making the best use of the resources at hand and investing more time in the research than is strictly necessary. It is therefore firmly thought that, despite this restriction, it will have little impact on this research report, making the study’s goal and importance attainable.
1.8 Definition of terms
Impact: a marked influence or effect on someone or something
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