RESIDENTS PERCEPTION ON THEE CREDIBILITY OF NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Abstract
This study examined the perception of residents of Abuja on news credibility on social media. Seeing as social media involve users‟ generated content, the sources and reliability of these contents are sometimes uncertain. With the credibility problem associated with social media news, it is essential to determine the extent to which social media users judge the news content they receive from these social media. This study adopted a survey research design with a sample size of 384 respondents. Findings show that social media have become a major source of news among residents in Abuja because of the media‟ interactivity, connectivity, propinquity and speed of dissemination. Besides, over 89 percent use of social media mainly due to its ease. Nevertheless, the level of credibility of social network is still very small; an indication of low-level credibility of the social media. It is, therefore, essential that social media users ensure exchange of credible information and users should always crosscheck information obtained with other available sources before approval and possible second distribution.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background study
The Internet has become integrated into our lives as an important, if not very essential tool for information and communication (Fallows, 2005). The large quantity of information available online combined with heavy reliance on the Internet by information seekers raise issues of the credibility or quality of information found online. Credibility in this context refers to the believability or reliability of some information or its source (Hovland, Janis, s& Kelley, 1953). A long history of research finds that credibility is a multifaceted concept with two primary dimensions: expertise and trustworthiness. Secondary factors affect credibility perceptions as well, including source attractiveness and dynamism, (o’keefe 2002). It is assumed that the credibility of a message is a receiver-based judgment which involves both objective judgments of the information quality or accuracy as well as subjective perceptions of the source trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness. Recent concerns about credibility of news or content found on social media stem from the fact that internet and digitization technologies both lower the cost and have increased access to information production and dissemination. The result is that more information from more sources is available and easily accessible currently than ever before due to the rise in the use of social media like twitter, Facebook, blogs, Whatsapp, yookos, Wechat,Instagram,Badoo.e.t.c.
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