SOCIAL MEDIA AND CRIMINALITY: A FOCUS ON ANONYMITY AND VALIDITY AMONG YOUTHS IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Despite the numerous benefits of social media, they are capable of facilitating crime through some inherent features. Hence, this study examined Social Media and Criminality: A Focus on Anonymity and Validity among Youths in Delta State, Nigeria. The study was geographically delimited to Delta Central Senatorial District. Two research hypotheses were tested in the study. The population of the study comprised youths resident in Delta State. In line with this, a sample of four hundred (400) respondents was drawn for the study, using the cluster random sampling technique. The respondents were randomly chosen from the different geographical blocs in the Senatorial District. The method of data analysis involved the use of Pearson product-moment correlation statistical tool. The analysis of data revealed that: there is a significant relationship between social media anonymity and youths’ involvement in criminal activities and also a relationship exists between the quest for validation on social media and illegal pursuits among youths in Delta State. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the government should organise cyber-training programmes that are targeted at youths in Delta State bordering on how to use social media for legally profitable activities rather than criminal ones and implement cyber security safety awareness programmes to educate youths in Delta State on how to ward off criminal activities targeted towards them on social media, among others.