Thesis (MA) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Communication and Media Studies Department

Includes bibliography (sheets 54-59)

ABSTRACT
The advent of the new media has brought about significant change in our lives and our
society in general, social media is part of the tools for change, it has evolved from a
networking site where users sign up to interact with people from all walks of life and
different nationality, it now operates in a larger platform where users find important
information and can lend their voices on certain matter. The speed at which
information is exchanged on social media has made it a catalyst for addressing a
societal problem that might result in bettering the lives of the people. The surge in
social media users who engage in the hashtag movement continues to show evidently
that there is a growth in the number of active users over the years. The #EndSARS
campaign is one significant protest movement that has been long-standing for half a
decade. This study was conducted to examine the influence of social media on protest
movements in Nigeria using #EndSARS as a case study, it also investigates whether
the campaign contributes to producing justice, the desired and anticipated changes for
the police force and how the use of social media the #EndSARS protest movement
induced youth’s physical participation in the protest. The research used a questionnaire
to obtain quantitative data. The research was conducted in Delta state, Nigeria's SouthSouth zone. The population of the study were 241 university students from Federal
University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, Delta State University Abraka and
Western Delta University Oghara. The data collected was analyzed using Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The result of the study also showed
that #EndSARS protesters used social media extensively. The survey found that
several social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Blogs, WhatsApp
and Instagram were actively used by students to participate in the #EndSARS
campaign. More than half (78%) of respondents knew about #EndSARS online. Most
responders said EndSARS protest contributed to the reduction of police brutality
amongst Nigerian youths. Over half of respondents plan to protest online in the future
(53.9%). However there is a disparity in percentage between the number of protesters
who were willing to participate in the online protest (53.9% said YES,) and those who
agreed to participate in the physical protest (17.4% said YES) in the near future.
Keywords: Activism, #EndSARS, Hashtag, Nigeria, Protests, Social Media