THE IMPACTS OF FAKE NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN CAMEROON CASE STUDY FACEBOOK USERS IN BUEA MUNICIPALITY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Social media can be broadly defined as the set of interactive Internet applications that facilitate (collaborative or individual) creation, curation, and sharing of user-generated content. Examples of social media platforms are numerous and varied. They include Facebook, Friendster, Wikipedia, dating sites, Craigslist, recipe sharing sites (e.g. allrecipes.com), YouTube, and Instagram. Social media platforms all share the abovementioned characteristics, but are unique from one another in many respects. In particular, platforms often vary in their architectures, structures, norms, and user bases.

In working to differentiate between different kinds of social media platforms, scholars distinguish and label several subsets of social media, with a particular emphasis on social network sites. boyd and Ellison (2007) explicitly differentiate social network sites from social networking sites. They argue that social networking implies meeting new people and making new connections, which contrasts with actual user practices. Specifically, social network site users tend to interact with existing—rather than new—social contacts. Examples of social network sites include Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and Live Journal.

A second subcategory of social media consists of microblogging sites. These allow users to distribute short messages to a broad audience, often through links and images. Such sites have explicit limits on the number of characters or amount of content allowed per message. Twitter, the predominant microblogging site in the United States, and Weibo, China’s suite of microblogging sites, limit each message to 140 characters. Vine, Twitter’s video application, limits clips to 6 seconds.

In addition to the label of social media, the contemporary Internet—characterized by interactivity and user-generated content—is also known as “Web 2.0.” Some argue that the newest era of digital technologies, characterized by user collaboration and cooperation, can be labelled “Web 3.0.” Others, however, contend that Web 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 are better understood as variations in user practice rather than technological capability. Of particular relevance, social media users, who can engage in participatory and collaborative activities online, also utilize social media platforms to send e-mail type messages, or engage in asynchronous discussions, both of which the characterize the Web 1.0 era (Barassi & Treré, 2012).

1. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY SOCIAL MEDIA

 Social networks are currently being used regularly by millions of people; therefore, the 21st century has been described as a century of technological advancement. This is due to fact that it is the century which discredited to making the world a global village. Social networks include variety of web-based tools and services that are designed to promote community development through collaboration and information sharing(Arnold & Paulus, 2010; Junko, Helbergert&Loken, 2011).Social media provides opportunities for individual expression as wells interaction with other users (Arnold & Paulus, 2010). Social media networks include; Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, WhatsApp, Instagram, Monad many others which were introduced in the early 2000 (Aida & Egan,2004). These social networks enable individuals to personally share, connect and interact with a list of other users who share the same connection with themed have played a crucial role in bridging boundaries and crossing the sea sand enabling them to communicate on a common platform. An interesting aspect of social media is that it is not limited to desktop or laptop computers but could be accessed through mobile applications and smart phones making it very accessible and easy to use which has brought the world to a personallevel.Understanding why students use online social media sites is crucial forthe academic community, as this new communication platform exhibits its important impact on students’ motivation to learn, affective learning,

Similarly (Mazer, Murphy & Simonds, 2007). Social media is cutting across all facets of society with its positive and negative influence in general. The social networking sites are gaining a lot of popularity these days with almost all of the educated youth using at least one of such sites. A number of studies have been conducted to find out the influence of social media on academic performance of students. Current research has indicated that using social media as an educational tool can lead to increased student engagement(Draper, Build, Hernández-Ortega &Sees, 2008). Nelson and Kuh (2005) also reported that students who use information technology for academics also have a higher likelihood of contributing and participating in active academic collaboration with other students. Among the vast variety of online toolswhich are available for communication, social network sites have become themost modern and influencing tool for connecting people throughout the world(Aghazamani, 2010).On the contrary, a study conducted by Karadkar (2015) indicates that social media networks affect students negatively because students spend more time on social media at the expense of their books. Also other studies have found that social media negatively influence students’ results as they spend as considerable time on social media rather than preparing adequately for class(Annette, Minogue, Holmes & Cheng 2009; Junco, 2012). Students neglect their studies by spending time on social media websites rather than studying or interacting with people in person (Karadkar, 2015). Actively and frequently participating in social media networks can negatively affect their grades, or hamper their journey to their future carriers (Karadkar, 2015). Walsh (2013)wrote that students who spent the most time using social media had fewer

academic behaviours such as completing homework and attending class, lower academic confidence and more problems affecting their school work, like lack of sleep and substance use. According to the Internet Usage Statistics (2014),the penetration of internet on the African continent was 26.5%. According to survey conducted by PEW Research Centre (2016), 72% of high school students spend time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp among others(Internet World Statistics, 2015). By December 2012, the number of Facebook users in Africa was 51,612,460. In Ghana, the number of internet users as at June 2014, was 5,171,993 with 20% internet penetration. Out of the total internet users in Ghana, 1,630,420 users were on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram among others (Internet World Statistics, 2015).Ibrahim (2015), in a news report stated that social media has both positive and negative effects on Ghanaian youth. From the report, Ibrahim indicated that youth between the ages of 12 and 25 are most vulnerable to the negative impact of social media. Ibrahim stated in the report that Ghanaian youth spend long hours socializing, and browsing the internet instead of concentrating on their academic work of which Senior High School students in Cape Coast are not an exception. The report attributed the issue as the probable reason why as many as 78% of the candidates who sat for the 2014West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) failed the exams. Ibrahim highlighted in the report that many of the candidates we rewriting social media-like type words instead of using standardized words. For instance ,the article ‘the’ is written ‘de’, ‘what’ becomes ‘wat’ and ‘you’ turns into ‘u’ which is not accepted in formal writings.

Understanding why students use online social media sites is crucial for the academic community, as this new communication platform exhibits its important impact on students’ motivation to learn, affective learning, and classroom climate (Mazer, Murphy & Simonds, 2007). Social media is cutting across all facets of society with its positive and negative influence in general. The social networking sites are gaining a lot of popularity these days with almost all of the educated youth using at least one of such sites. A number of studies have been conducted to find out the influence of social media on academic performance of students. Current research has indicated that using social media as an educational tool can lead to increased student engagement (Draper, Buil, Hernández-Ortega &Sese, 2008). Nelson and Kuh (2005) also reported that students who use information technology for academics also have a higher likelihood of contributing and participating in active academic collaboration with other students. Among the vast variety of online tools which are available for communication, social network sites have become the most modern and influencing tool for connecting people throughout the world (Aghazamani, 2010). 

On the contrary, a study conducted by Karadkar (2015) indicates that social media networks affect students negatively because students spend more time on social media at the expense of their books. Also other studies have found that social media negatively influence students’ results as they spend as considerable time on social media rather than preparing adequately for class (Annetta, Minogue, Holmes & Cheng 2009; Junco, 2012). Students neglect their studies by spending time on social media websites rather than studying or interacting with people in person (Karadkar, 2015). Actively and frequently participating in social media networks can negatively affect their grades, or hamper their journey to their future carriers (Karadkar, 2015). Walsh (2013) wrote that students who spent the most time using social media had fewer academic behaviours such as completing homework and attending class, lower academic confidence and more problems affecting their school work, like lack of sleep and substance use. According to the Internet Usage Statistics (2014), the penetration of internet on the African continent was 26.5%. According to a survey conducted by PEW Research Center (2016), 72% of high school students spend time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp among others (Internet World Statistics, 2015). By December 2012, the number of Facebook users in Africa was 51,612,460. In Ghana, the number of internet users as at June 2014, was 5,171,993 with 20% internet penetration. Out of the total internet users in Ghana, 1,630,420 users were on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram among others (Internet World Statistics, 2015).

Ibrahim (2015), in a news report stated that social media has both positive and negative effects on Ghanaian youth. From the report, Ibrahim indicated that youth between the ages of 12 and 25 are most vulnerable to the negative impact of social media. Ibrahim stated in the report that Ghanaian youth spend long hours socializing, and browsing the internet instead of concentrating on their academic work of which Senior High School students in Cape Coast are not an exception. The report attributed the issue as the probable reason why as many as 78% of the candidates who sat for the 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) failed the exams. Ibrahim highlighted in the report that many of the candidates were writing social media-like type words instead of using standardized words. For instance, the article ‘the’ is written ‘de’, ‘what’ becomes ‘wat’ and ‘you’ turns into ‘u’ which is not accepted in formal writings. This observation has therefore necessitated this study to find out the impact of social networks on students’ essay writing in English language.

2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

There have been a lot of debates on various platforms and media as to the impact that social media has on society and specifically its effects on students’ academic performance. Some of these studies found a drop in students’ grades and academic performance and lack of time for studies as consequences of social media network participation (Banquil et al., 2009;

Kirschner&Karpinski, 2010; Ndaku, 2013). On the other hand, Packet et al. (2006) stated that Facebook usage is not positively associated with lower grades of students but rather Facebook users score higher grades.  Kolek and Saunders (2008) did not find any correlation between GPAs of student users and social network participation such as Facebook. Rather social networks sites promote interaction among students and teachers (Ahmed &Qazi, 2011). Also, a study conducted by Horton, Alloway, and Dawson (2012) reveals that the use of Facebook has effect on the spelling of some students.

A number of studies in relation to social media have similarly been conducted in Ghana. These, however, have centred on social media use in basic schools (Amofah-Serwah &Dayzie, 2015), and social media usage in tertiary level (Apeanti&Danso, 2014). One study has looked at the time that students waste on social media networks at the neglect of their books which affect their academic performance (Banquil et al., 2009; Kirsches and Karpinski, 2010; Ndaku, 2013). Another study also did not find any correlation between GPAs of students and their social network participation such as Facebook (Kolek& Saunders (2008). Also, the studies conducted by these researchers (Amofah-Serwah &Dadzie, 2015; Apeanti&Danso, 2014) were centered at the basic and tertiary levels. Since these studies have been conducted in basic schools and at tertiary levels, a gap has been created at the senior high levels. The researcher, therefore, finds it necessary to conduct this study to determine the influence of social media networks have on the academic performance of students in Senior High Schools, particularly their essay writing. It is therefore necessary to conduct this study to examine the influence of social media networks on students’ essay writing.

3. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main purpose  or objective of the study was to examine the influence of fake news on social networks (Facebook users in Buea municipality)’ essay writing . The specific objectives of the study were to find out:

1. the various social media networks available in the Buea municipality.
2. the level of Senior youths’ participation in the various social media networks in Buea municipality.
3. the effect of youths receiving false information on media networks.