PREDISPOSITION OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO CRIMINAL BEHAVIOURS: EFFECTS AND IMPLICATIONS TO FUTURE ASPIRATIONS OF NIGERIAN YOUTHS

Abstract

Social media are coveted gift to humanity, but now an albatross on the constructive development of many Nigerian youths. The future of many Nigerian youths, who are most vulnerable to the phenomena of social media, is at stake. Forms of social media are Facebook, Yahoo Messenger, WhatsApp, Blackberry Messenger, Tweeter, Instagram, and Badoo. Adverse effects of social media in Nigeria are liberalization of sex, low education standard, increased same-sex relationships, religious fraud, scamming, identity theft, increased marital intolerance, bastardization of sexuality, flamboyant lifestyle, and drug use. The control of the abuse of social media by the Nigerian youths can be achieved through the family, school, religion, and security agencies. It is recommended for more disciplinary, moral reorientations, and robust behaviour modifications to be inculcated by the significant others in the Nigerian youths.