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Security Implications of the Social Media: A Study of Users’ Awareness and Precautionary Measures
(2019) Umeaku, Perpetua Chinonye1; Shaibu, Agnes Joe
These days, social media is becoming a part of Nigerian youths’ life due to increased access and use of the internet. To the users, it holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content anytime, anywhere, on any digital device. In spite of the inherent communicative advantages of social media, it is also associated with security risks. While literature abounds on the nature of risks users are exposed to, not much research has been done on their level of awareness of these dangers. This study sought to examine whether social media users are adequately aware of the security implications of risky social media use and are taking precautionary measures to guard themselves. A Survey was conducted among undergraduates of Kwara State University, Malete. Questionnaire was used as the research instrument to elicit information from 400 respondents drawn using the Stratified Random and convenience Sampling techniques. Results show that many of the users significantly demonstrated awareness of the implications of social media usage and protective attitudes, even as a fraction of sampled respondents’ activities portends risky behaviour, in terms of acceptance of friend request from strangers and online dating. The study recommends that undergraduate students be encouraged towards the positive use of social media.