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Aurelia: Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat Indonesia
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Vol. 2 No. 1 January 2023
Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nwokeocha – Heritage Polytechnic, Nigeria 1
Digital Media and Political Socialization: Implications for Nigeria's
Democracy
Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nwokeocha
Heritage Polytechnic, Nigeria
Email: giftedmartins83@gmail.com
Abstract
Media are an important pillar of political socialization; that is the way a person learns about the
functions of democratic principles and institutions in their formative years and beyond. Changes in the
social and media environments affect the way citizens become politically socialized. With the
emergence of digital media, communication has continued to change towards a socially networked,
algorithmic and highly personalized environment. This new, networked communication logic, in which
information is shared ubiquitously, accessible and aligned to personal interest, reshapes the
mechanism through which media use can impact political socialization outcomes. While cultivation of
universal perceptions in the population through mass media becomes less likely, political role models,
previously found mostly in mass media can now be met in citizen's own online communities. This
entry shed light on the interplay of digital media use and socialization outcomes and explains how a
networked communication logic enhance good governance in Nigerian.
Keywords: Digital Media, Political Socialization, Nigeria’s Democracy
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
INTRODUCTION
Digital media have assumed an important position in electioneering campaign activities
of political parties and candidates in most societies in the world including Nigeria. These
online media have rapidly grown in importance as for political activism in their different
forms (Tenhunen, & Karveltye, 2015). General Elections in Nigeria in contemporary times
have been remarkable for using social media as a political socialization tool., The use of social
media in election reflects a global trend towards the internet or e-electioneering (Macna –
Mara, 2008).
There has been a rapid expansion in internet access around the world which is as a
result of increased availability of service providers, smart phones and verbal communication
as well as the evolution of web-based new media –personal websites, social-networking sites
,blogs ,e-newsletters. These have helped to redefine methods of political socialization. Some
Nigerian politicians utilize the opportunities offered by the digital media for online
campaigning. This is evident in the use of Facebook, Twitter and other media platforms for
soliciting for votes from eligible voters.
The Nigerian civil society and the voters utilize social media as a tool for improved
monitoring of the electoral process. This is because previous elections in Nigeria were largely
adjudged to have been flawed by rigging of votes and other electoral malpractices culminating
in dissatisfaction by candidates, voters, observers and all-well meaning Nigerians. The end
result of this situation were mass complaints of irregularities triggered off by
disenfranchisement of prospective voters, snatching of ballot boxes and stuffing of the boxes
with ballot papers and allegation of collusion between election officials and politicians to
manipulate results, subvert popular mandate (Ibrahim & Ibeanu, 2009). The use of digital
media in contemporary Nigerian election helps to address these electoral flaws. In Nigeria
over 3 million people had Facebook accounts and about 60,000 persons were on Twitter in
Aurelia: Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat Indonesia
E-ISSN: 2964-2493 P-ISSN: 2962-0430
Vol. 2 No. 1 January 2023
Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nwokeocha – Heritage Polytechnic, Nigeria 2
2010 (Asuni & Farris 2011, p.4). However, Nigeria recorded a two hundred percent increase
in internet usage between 2009 and 2013 and it has been observed that the growing
penetration of mobile telephony in Nigeria, especially the rise of smart phones has made
social media unique for political socialization. As at today, there are 28 million people in
Nigeria using Facebook and over 83% of digital media users in the country. Twitter, the micro
blogging website has about 20 million Nigerian users.
These digital platforms help citizens to monitor electoral process and report electoral
malpractices to the appropriate authorities by the use of mobile phones computers and other
electronic gadgets in order to influence good governance, and digital media makes it possible
for a large number of videos, photos, tweets, and comments to be shared. Most of these
election monitoring activities are carried out by people who are not only more proficient in
the use of the internet but also spend ample time on daily basis on digital media platforms.
However, with the constant shift in technology, one cannot deny the influence that digital
media has over our way of life. It has changed the way we educate, entertain, publish and
interact with people.
RESEARCH METHOD
The methodology adopted for this study is the library research method. Here, the
researcher made use of secondary research material relevant to this paper such as: books
chapters, journals articles, newspapers, magazines to gather facts in discussing the subject
matter.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Digital Media: Towards a Definition
Digital media are any form of media that uses electronic devices for distribution. This
form of media can be created, viewed, modified and distributed via electronic devices. Digital
media are commonly used software, video games, videos, websites, social media, and online
advertising.
According to Jones (2012) the term digital media refers to web base tools services that
allow users to share and communicate with one another. Digital media are media for social
interaction using highly associable and scalable publishing techniques, social media use web-
based technology to transform and broadcast media monologues into social dialogues. The
rapid growth of social media activities especially over the past 10 years is indicative of its
entry with mainstream culture and its integration into the daily lives of many people.
Explaining this, Westerman, Spence and Heide (2012) noted that the digital media have
gained increased usage rapidly for a variety of reasons. News and information are one of such
reasons. The digital media landscape might seem like foreign ground and is comprehensive to
those accustomed to reading mainstream media alone. The intensity and spread of news
posted online can be a cause of stress for publication which is forced to respond almost
immediately in today’s political climate. Due to the effectiveness of digital media in the
sharing of entertaining, informative and educative messages, the relatively new media is
handy for political socialization of the people especially the youths who access digital media
channels.
Concept of Political Socialization
Political socialization is the process by which a person integrates with political culture of
society, gains knowledge of the political values, ideals, beliefs of the society and acquires a
social and political nature. Through political socialization, the individual acquires knowledge
Aurelia: Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat Indonesia
E-ISSN: 2964-2493 P-ISSN: 2962-0430
Vol. 2 No. 1 January 2023
Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nwokeocha – Heritage Polytechnic, Nigeria 3
of his political system, unites with his society, determines the political choice of the individual,
and plays the role of a citizen of his or her state. There some features of political socialization.
These are:
1. Political socialization is the pinnacle of a society’s political values or culture. Any education,
therefore, is not political socialization
2. The purpose of political socialization is to educate and enhance the members of the society
politically, to see them become effective members of the political society, and to preserve
the continuity of the political values of the society.
3. Early childhood is an important time for political socialization. But this is not limited to a
few years of childhood. Political socialization continues throughout the life of the
individual.
4. Political socialization occurs mainly in three ways – imitation, instruction, and motivation.
Imitation tendency is more prevalent in children, whereas adolescents and adults have a
combination of imitation, instruction, and motivation.
5. Through the process of political socialization, the increase in support, support for the
prevailing political system, the values in favor of conventional institutions, the legitimacy of
the government are increased.
6. All persons belonging to a political society are subject to political socialization and are
effective throughout their lives.
7. Few organizations play an important role in the context of political socialization. These are
called as agents of political socialization. They are also identified as the means of political
socialization. These are: Family; Intimate Friend’s Group; Educational Institution; Political
Parties; Mass Media; Professional Organization; and Religious Organization as well as.
Challenges Facing Digital Media Utilization in Nigeria
Cyber bullying has been an issue of concern with online networking sites. An online
survey based on 9-19 years old and above discovered that students received bullying
comments online. Online networking often include a lot of personal information posted
publicly and many believe that sharing personal information opens the door to sexual
predators. In recent times, the social media have been used for political parties cum Nigeria
Politicians to propagate their political ideologies and manifestos to members of society with
the sole aim of winning their votes and support. These politicians institute instrumentalized
educational value to sway the thoughts of the electorate to their sides, thus, during political
campaigns the social media become a veritable tool for proliferation of aims and ideologies.
Digital media could also be detrimental to democracy. According to Ronald Deibert, The
world of social media is more conducive to extreme emotional charge and decisive type of
content than it is to calm, principled considerations of competing or complex narratives. On
the other hand, Mark K. Eder points of failure of the fourth estate that has allowed outrage to
be disguised as news, contributing to citizen apathy when confronting falsehoods and further
distrust in democratic institutions.
Different Channels of Digital Media Suitable For Political Socialization
The different channels of digital media suitable for political socialization:
1. Websites
2. Video
3. Social Media
4. Electronic Mails (E-mail)
5. Organic Search (Search Engine Optimization – SEO)
6. Paid Search
Aurelia: Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat Indonesia
E-ISSN: 2964-2493 P-ISSN: 2962-0430
Vol. 2 No. 1 January 2023
Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nwokeocha – Heritage Polytechnic, Nigeria 4
Digital Media and Political Socialization for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria
The digital media have become the engine for social movements in the world today. In
many countries, citizens are being mobilized through their platforms either for sharing new
ideas, the desire to establish new orders or to improve current ones. Through the media
citizens have either become informed or are informing others. They have also been able to
construct new social and political relations with a view to growing planetary citizenry with
democratic ideals (Ovey & Ekhareafo, 2013).
The idea of democracy here is suggestive of an environment characterized by freedom,
openness and connectedness of members. That is a media system where indusion and or
usage is not determined by a few, but, one with a free market orientation that provides the
platform for people to freely interact and share views without inhibitions. Mayfield (2008)
quips, that “a good way to think about digital media is that all of this is actually just about
being human beings. Sharing ideas, cooperating and collaborating to create art, thinking and
commerce, vigorous debate and discourse, finding people who might be good friends, allies
and lovers.
The digital media are all about people connecting people. This connection can be made
by teachers connecting their students (virtual learning) online chats by interest groups and
politicians can also use the medium to reach the electorate. It creates a homophilic virtual
community of people with shared interests, values and aspirations and bridges the
institutional bottlenecks experienced in the mainstream media. In politics, the digital media
hold the greatest because it is cheaper, faster, duplicable and retrievable (storable), flexible,
and has a wider reach compared to other media. Everyday, more than 90 percent of college
students visit social networking sites canvassing for votes through platforms like these,
therefore providing one with a global audience and gauging their pulse is immediate.
Words have powers. Analysts believe that carefully chosen words can have a
predetermined impact. The aim of politicians therefore is to use every means possible verbal
and nonverbal cues – to attract attention and win support, to ensure a far reaching impact
therefore, politicians package political contents which are transmitted to the audience
through the media (the digital media indusive)
The social media under the digital media is a new media phenomenon whose capacity to
be used in political campaigns was given impetus by president Barrack Obama who made
extensive use of Facebook for campaigns in 2008. Nwafor and Nweze (2013) note that ever
since Obama “various political actors across Africa and beyond have continued to embrace the
social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and blogs for campaigns and other
political activities.
Theoretical Framework
This study adopted the public sphere theory. Public sphere theory is fundamentally
situated at the center of participatory approaches to democracy. The public sphere is the
arena where citizens come together exchange opinions regarding public affairs, discuss,
deliberate, and eventually form public opinion. This arena can be a specific place where
citizens gather, but it can also be a communication infrastructure through which citizens send
and receive information and opinions, the public sphere is a central aspect of good
governance. Without a functioning and democratic public sphere, government officials cannot
be held accountable for their action, and citizens will not be able to assert any influence over
political decisions.
The idea of the public sphere is normative. It is an ideal of good and accountable
governance. The requisites are free flows of information, free expression, and free debate. The
ideal public sphere is truly participatory and the bet protection against abuse of power.
Aurelia: Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat Indonesia
E-ISSN: 2964-2493 P-ISSN: 2962-0430
Vol. 2 No. 1 January 2023
Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nwokeocha – Heritage Polytechnic, Nigeria 5
Today, the public is even more strongly tied to the media. The public phere theory also gained
new province with the spread of new communication technologies in the 1990s. The internet
in particular is considered to provide unprecedented opportunities for exchanging
information and for deliberation among a large number of people of different backgrounds.
Thus, this fits into the circle of public sphere theory.
Discussion
The study made some interesting revolutions. First and foremost, the study found that
the extent of political socialization via the digital media is appreciably high. The study also
indicated that the most popular social medium platform for political socialization is Facebook.
For instance, the essential media poll 2012, a study done in Australia, reported that Google
was the most popular site followed by Facebook, news websites, Blogs, social and Political
campaign websites, Twitter. The study further reveal that the kind of political activities
people socialize in during elections in Nigeria through digital media are monitoring of
campaigns of the candidates of their choices, presidential debates, voter education activities,
monitoring of election of party standard bearers and participation in activities relating to PVC.
On the ways through which people in Nigeria access digital media or political
socialization, the easiest, commonest and readily available way is the smart phones cell
phones. Many people connect to and conduct their internet activities using their smart phones
for obvious reasons of convenience and many more. The study as well reveals that opinions
can be made to enhance good governance.
CONCLUSION
This study examined digital media and political revelations. Specifically, the study
investigated the extent of political socialization among people in Nigeria, the kind of activities
done, the implications and the ways through which citizens of Nigeria access digital media
platforms for political socialization. Citizens of Nigeria make use of their smart phones mainly
and by using PC/Laptop computer devices for political socialization. Digital media provide an
enviable forum for citizens of Nigeria to socialize in political activities of their fatherland
because the technology of the digital media offers unique opportunities for mobilization of
citizens for political discussions and socialization in the political process.
Recommendations
The study made the following recommendations: Political parties and their candidates
should embrace the digital media and utilize same in conducting political activities. Citizens
get online information faster than any other media. There is the need for the government to
empower citizens economically so that they can buy and own the most basic technology
required for large scale social interaction such as smart phones and personal
computer/laptops. Citizens should politically socialize in order to examine and assess the
performance of government and leaders and to engender good governance.
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E-ISSN: 2964-2493 P-ISSN: 2962-0430
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Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nwokeocha – Heritage Polytechnic, Nigeria 6
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