ATTITUDE OF MASS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS TOWARDS SOCIAL MEDIA HATE SPEECH LEGISLATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was intended to investigate the attitude of mass communication students towards social media hate speech legislation in Nigeria. The controversy surrounding social media and hate speech legislation in Nigeria necessitated this study aimed at examining the attitude of mass communication students, who are would-be media professionals, towards such proposed legislation. Data was collected, analyzed and tested using the simple percentage method. A sample size of 150 respondents - mass communication students of Mountain Top University - randomly selected was used for the study. From the result of the study, the researcher concluded that a large number of respondents thought that hate speech legislation could hinder freedom of speech. It was also obvious that that large number of respondent kicked against the hate speech bill proposed by the legislators. The study recommended that social media hate speech legislation is not necessary in Nigeria, what is needed is to create awareness about the danger fake news and hate speech cause in human societies. With lot of awareness fake news or hate speech would lessen and there would be no need for social media and hate speech legislation. With hate speech legislation, it may hinder the freedom of speech and practitioner’s would be extra careful when disseminating information to the public.