Information Sharing and Evaluation as Determinants of Spread of Fake News on Social Media among Nigerian Youths: Experience from COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

  • Kabir Alabi Sulaiman Tunde Idiagbon Library, Ilorin South Local Government
  • Ismail Olatunji Adeyemi Pinheiro LP
  • Ibrahim Ayegun Department of Library and Information Science, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Keywords:

Social media, Information sharing, Information evaluation, COVID-19, Fake news

Abstract

This study examined social media information sharing and evaluation as determinants of fake news spread among Nigerian youths with empirical evidence from COVID-19.  The study adopted descriptive survey method. The Web-based questionnaire (Google docs) was used in collecting data for the study. The total responses for the study are 278, which represents the sample size. The finding of the study revealed that most Nigerians used Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Instagram to share information on COVID-19. However, only few Nigerians used Linkedln and other types of social media to share information on COVID-19. It was also found out that building relationship with social media communities, enjoyment and risk taking, and political inclination influence sharing behaviour of Nigerians during the COVID-19. Results show that social media handle/page found sharing of fake news on COVID-19 especially on the treatment, vaccines numbers of cases and symptoms. The study concludes that there is positive significant relationship between information sharing and information evaluation on COVID-19 among Nigerians. It was recommended that information sharing evaluation of Nigerians should be in line with standard practice of relevance, accuracy, purpose, currency and authority.

URL: http://ijkcdt.net/xml/26787/26787.pdf

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Author Biographies

Kabir Alabi Sulaiman, Tunde Idiagbon Library, Ilorin South Local Government

Kabir Sulaiman is a master's holder of Library and Information Science and works at the Tunde Idiagbon Library, Ilorin South Local Government. He has Diploma and Bachelor's degree of Library and Information Science. He is published in local and international journals.

Ismail Olatunji Adeyemi, Pinheiro LP

Ismail Adeyemi is currently a Librarian at Pinheiro LP, Ilupeju, Lagos State. He holds a Bachelor degree of Library and Information Science and currently pursuing his Master degree in same discipline, from the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Ilorin. He was the General Secretary of National Association of Library and Information Science Students (University of Ilorin) in the 2012/2013 session. He interned at Kwara State Public Library and was part of the team that developed Roemichs International School Library in Ilorin, Nigeria. He has worked with Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (Library Officer/Admin Assistant) and Lamp Bearer Islamic School (School Librarian).

Ibrahim Ayegun, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Ibrahim Ayegun holds master's degree of Library and Information Science.

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Published

2020-12-31

How to Cite

Sulaiman, K. A., Adeyemi, I. O., & Ayegun, I. (2020). Information Sharing and Evaluation as Determinants of Spread of Fake News on Social Media among Nigerian Youths: Experience from COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology, 10(4). Retrieved from https://ijkcdt.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/index.php/ijkcdt/article/view/331

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 4 (2020)

Section

Articles

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