An Investigation Of Social Media Usage And Its Impact On Students Exposure To Cybercrimes

1.2. Statement of the problem

The issue of undergraduate participation in cybercrime in Nigeria has continued to remain a very intractable problem, and social media has become an environment where the most lucrative and safest crimes thrive. Different evidence to show cybercrime is rising have been discovered. A (YouGov, 2017) survey for the Internet users in the UK shows that 1 in 20 users lost money to online scams. According to (DeMarco, 2022), He alsonoted  that  cyberspace  make  young  people  susceptible  to  risk  of  engagingincybercriminal  activity  by  providing  open,  uncensored  and  unregulated  sites  that  provide information, directives and tools about hacking, network intrusion, and phishing procedures. These studies are all vivid indicators to the fact that social media fraud is increasing rapidly and as so, it is starting to gain awareness at the global level but there is a shortfall to the study of this burgeoning criminal problem in Nigeria. Nigeria being a third world country is faced with huge economic challenges and this causes for a high rate of unemployment, therefore being a reason why this crime thrives in the country. Asides from the economy factor being a possible reason why social media fraud thrives in Nigeria, there are many other factors causing the unceasing rise in this fraudulent activity.  A study by (zero tolerance, 2014), shows that the age group of social media fraudsters are usually within ages 18-30 years, and they are involved in this crime usually to sustain themselves and have a taste of “the good life”. The age group in this study is classified to be that of the students found in tertiary institutions being part of the reasons why this study is centralizing on university undergraduates. Social media usage and high consumption rate also poses as a problem such as the high amount of users gives these fraudsters the massive and trusting audience that they could manipulate, reason may be the victim trusts the social media app and believes the person he/she is speaking to has good intentions towards them. If the usage of social media is cut down by these users this problem is most likely to reduce. And the social media platforms that these victims entrust so much should ensure and establish ways of letting only authentic people onto their platform so if there may be any harm, the users may be discoverable. Anonymous and unlimited access to social media accounts also creates a big problem and plays a big role in the participation in cybercrime, the ease of creation of unauthenticated social media accounts poses as one of the problems allowing for the complexity in the identification of these fraudsters.  Following these findings there is need for the discovery of more characteristics and qualities of these fraudsters and what other factors may drive them into the commitment of the crimes.

1.3.Research objectives of the study

The primary objective of this study is to investigate  social media usage and its impact on students exposure to cybercrimes. Therefore other objectives of this study will be:

1) To ascertain the extent to which ones social media consumption naturally exposes them to criminal content.

2) To investigate whether the unlimited access to social media creates  an avenue for criminals to exploit users.

3) To determine the various  social media platform students have been exposed to.

1.4.Research question

From the above research objectives listed, the following research questions will be poised.

1) what is the extent to which ones social media consumption naturally exposes them to criminal content?

2) Does the unlimited access to social media creates  an avenue for criminals to exploit users?

3) What are the various  social media platform students have been exposed to.

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following questions have been created for the study 

H0: the unlimited access to social media does not creates  an avenue for criminals to exploit users.

HA:  the unlimited access to social media does creates  an avenue for criminals to exploit users

1.6.Significance of the study

This study will increase the wealth of knowledge on cybercrime activity in Nigeria, specifically would create new knowledge on the relationship between social media and cybercrime thereby filling the gap in the literature. In addition the study would also be highly beneficial as it would enlighten undergraduate students and the general public on the negative results from participating in this crime, and the results from the research would give a general answer to social media users on their different perspectives about social media and its influence on people. The study will also inform them on the appropriate authorities to file complaints to if they have been victims of any sort of cyber fraud or scam.

1.7 Scope of study

The study will ascertain the extent to which ones social media consumption naturally exposes them to criminal content.The study will also investigate whether the unlimited access to social media creates  an avenue for criminals to exploit users.Lastly, the study willdetermine the impact which social media usage have on students who have been exposed to cybercrimes.Hence, the study is delimited to University of Lagos

1.8 Limitation of the Study

This study was constrained by a number of factors which are as follows:

 just like any other research, ranging from unavailability of needed accurate materials on the topic under study, inability to get data

Financial constraint , was faced by  the researcher ,in getting relevant materials  and  in printing and collation of questionnaires

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher

1.9 Operational definition of terms

Cybercrime: as used in this study is the offence committed with the use of these social media sites or applications. It is seen to be blackmail through different formats discussed in this study.

Social media: as used through this study is the platform or are the sites which these cybercrime acts are committed with or on. It is a socialization network used to send and receive messages, share videos, and carry out other forms of communication processes.

Phishing: is a type of cybercrime format detailed in this study which uses emails to lure its victims.

Consumption: as a term in this study is a description used for usage or frequent use of certain social media applications that could even be an addiction to that certain site.

1.10 Organization Of The Study

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows. Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.