SOCIAL MEDIA AS A CREDIBLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION

This study focused on Social Media as a credible source of information and information dissemination with the view of UNIBEN students of the Department of Mass Communication. It aimed at examining the credibility of social media with UNIBEN students of the Mass Communication department as the population of the study. The objectives of the study were to find ways to differentiate between factual news and made-up news. To educate the public about the consequences of spreading unverified information, to educate the public on the importance of creating a safe social media environment, and to educate social media users about the possible practices or user behavior to make social media a credible source of information. For its theoretical framework, the study adopted the medium is the message theory by McLuhan to further buttress the point of the study. The survey research was used to gather the data used for this study. The findings of the study revealed that UNIBEN students of the mass communication department agreed that social media is not a credible source of information and that the information they receive on social media affects their personal decision as students. Findings also reveal the rate at which information is shared and received on social media and how this information can be verified. The study, therefore concluded that there is a necessity in ensuring that social media is a safe space for information dissemination. It was recommended that users of social media should be wary of some of the content they consume as mischievous users display misleading information that may be harmful, Social media users must see the need to verify the information they receive and share on social media from credible sources etc