An Assessment of Cultural Imperialism from Globalization: An Analysis of the Impact of Facebook Social Media in Kenya

Abstract

Globalization of the media is perceived as an influence on indigenous cultures of the world. The Internet and its accessibility are viewed as having contributed to the massive flow of information globally, creating a global village. The study zeros in on the rise of social networks and singles out the Facebook which it subjects to the study. The aims and objectives of the study are determining access to the internet, gauging on the rise of Internet’s social networks’ and their influence on the users’ cultural orientations and also determining the impact of social networks as tools for mass media. The study gives insights to varied views from scholars over their perceptions of the media and its contribution to perceived cultural imperialism. From the data collected the findings revealed that the internet is accessible but users find it costly. The majority of the internet users on Facebook embraced the social networks as positive communications mode that did not necessarily alter their cultural orientation. The study discovered the widespread uses of Facebook citing it as an effective tool for mass communication. The study recommends that the internet be accessed in all learning institutions, while social networks be used for promoting cultural diversity.