IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON SOCIAL MOVEMENTS: A STUDY OF THE #ENDSARS PROTEST

Abstract

Social movements appear to have been influenced by social media, notably in terms of organization and communication. With the achievement and user base of Social Media Platforms as tools for digital communication and information exchange, as well as developments in industrial growth, science, technology, and diverse environmental problems arising locally and globally, social media can be used to enhance awareness of diverse current environmental issues much more quickly. This study aims to look into how Nigerian youths use social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Youtube to communicate with the rest of the world and the Nigerian government on the #EndSARS demonstration in Nigeria. Primary Data were collected from people with questionnaire to know the level of their awareness in the campaign and their view on the impact of social media on the #EndSARS protest. Twitter, according to the findings, was crucial in mobilizing youths and in alerting the general public about the situation. Furthermore, social media had both a positive and harmful impact on the social movement, with the negative impact surpassing the positive. This study is unique in that it focuses on the impact of social media on the #EndSARS protest and the extent to which social media contributed to property destruction during the protest.