FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SPREAD OF FAKE NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF ENUGU URBAN

TOCHUKWU, EMMANUEL IGBOEKWU (2025) FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SPREAD OF FAKE NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF ENUGU URBAN. Other thesis, GODFREY OKOYE UNIVERSITY, ENUGU.

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Abstract

This study investigates the factors influencing the spread of fake news on social media platforms, with specific focus on Enugu Urban, Nigeria. In an era dominated by digital communication, fake news has become a pressing social issue. The study adopted a mixed- method approach, employing a survey of 384 residents (with 362 valid responses) and one qualitative interview to gather data. The findings reveal that a significant proportion of respondents perceive fake news as intentionally misleading information, frequently spread through platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp. Key drivers of fake news dissemination include the desire for social recognition, political manipulation, low digital literacy, and lack of fact-checking culture. The consequences of fake news identified in the study include emotional distress, societal tension, misinformation, and reputational 9 damage. Based on the analysis, the study recommends increased digital literacy, platform- specific fact-checking, regulatory policy enforcement, and public sensitization as strategies to curb the menace. This research contributes to sociological discourse by contextualizing the spread of fake news within the Nigerian digital environment and proposing grounded interventions tailored to the realities of Enugu Urban. Drawing from these insights, the study recommends the institutionalization of digital literacy programs, the establishment of platform-specific fact-checking mechanisms, stricter enforcement of communication regulations, and comprehensive public sensitization campaigns. By situating the phenomenon within the sociological realities of Enugu Urban, this study contributes meaningfully to the broader discourse on media sociology and digital communication, offering context-specific interventions to mitigate the menace of fake news in Nigeria’s evolving information ecosystem.

Item Type: Thesis (Other)
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Faculty of Management and Social Sciences
Depositing User: Uchenna Eneogwe
Date Deposited: 15 Jun 2026 11:27
Last Modified: 15 Jun 2026 11:27
URI: http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/5803

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