Rethinking Social Media Ethics in Nigeria

Abstract

With the coming on board of citizen journalism, the newsroom ethics have become obsolete to accommodate the growing spectrum of the technologically driven new media structure despite the fact that social media have become relevant in information dissemination in the market place of ideas. This study which adopts a qualitative research approach interrogates the zero new media ethics in Nigeria; investigates the implications of lack of new media ethics in Nigeria’s media practice; and evaluates the direction of new media content in Nigeria. Built on Scanlon’s contractual theory, the paper found out that the zero new media ethics challenge is a global phenomenon and that the situation has paved way for fierce censorship measures on both the mainstream and social media structures in the country. The study recommends that a comprehensive new media ethic be fashioned out by the appropriate stakeholders in the media industry to address the abysmal scenario.