By: Maglorious Mwansa
Recent surveys have shown that the more a person spends time on social media, the more their mental health becomes arguably messed up. Actually, it further goes to suggest that when one likes your post, it releases some adrenaline and hormones that are the same when one is taking alcohol. This does not in any way suggest that social media is completely negative. Social media has two faces, just like a coin.
With the coronavirus pandemic raging everywhere, social media use has become part of the new normal. The pandemic has brought lockdowns, restrictions on gatherings, movements, among others. However, the new reality does not change the fact that people are relational beings. They need constant interaction and communication to keep going. The emergency of Covid-19 has helped the world go digital and no place under the sun has been left out.
Increased access to WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social platforms has redefined the global village we once knew. Long before, television and radio helped people get information about other countries, their cultures, politics, economic and social struggles. It is a totally different story today. People have almost dumped television and radio for social media which affords its users modern and fulfilling ways of exchanging information, sentiments and emotions. The influence of social media is far-reaching and it is shaping a whole new Africa.
Influence entails the power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige. Influence can also be defined as a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do. On the other hand, social media can be defined as in a nutshell as simply websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.
With rising numbers of people using facebook, twitter, instagram and WhatsApp, Africa is increasingly gaining prominence In the sphere of social networking. Social media is increasingly becoming mainstream; serving as an important tool for facilitating interpersonal communication, business and educational activities.
Social media brings about innovation and motivation. In the business circles for instance In Kenya, there is a family that has decided to teach people how to farm. They post videos of their farm and farm produce and methods used in farming their crops. They have decided even in this pandemic to inspire and motivate others and at the same time to teach people how to save money. We are able to even talk about it because of social media.
Social media has also influenced Africa in the political fraternity as journalists use it as a tool to fight corruption and injustices. Like in the recent Ugandan general elections where we saw social media being used as a tool to sensitise the public about the importance of positive change and voting. Also the dangers of violence and the importance of Human Rights.
It has also enlightened the people to do better in their future endeavors. In the medical fraternity, social media has allowed people to understand statistics of pandemics like Cholera, HIV and the Corona virus. Because of social media, people are learning the causes and impacts of these pandemics and also how to prevent these pandemics.
Social media has also allowed people to have an interest In the medical field as we see a lot of young men and women take up the noble professions like nursing, medicine, pharmacy, biomedical science and engineering to only mention but a few. In the business circles especially in the art industry music and film to be exact. We have seen a lot of African musicians and actors break away from the mainstream and start collaborating with international artists.
Artists are breaking barriers and businesses are booming for those that use social media positively.. In the negative vein, social media has brought about a lot of cyberbullying in Africa and has caused a lot of people to be battling with depression. People feel like they lag behind as no one posts their failures on social media. So those with low self-esteem take whatever they see on social media as gospel truth when the reality is actually different.
At the very least we can say, social media has influenced Africa both positively and negatively but it it always important to not lose yourself in the process; to always be true to ourselves and our beliefs and customs as Africans.
More so, social media has made it possible for people to practice humanity by helping those suffering and popularized on media. Recently in Zambia, social media was awash by messages of appeal to donate for health costs for a young lady who was diagnosed with lung cancer. The messages were so widespread that Republican President Edgar Lungu reacted and promised to finance the lady’s health.
Additionally, Africans are beginning to take keen interest in influencers who are using social media for a good cause to help and spread awareness on the importance of using social media to bring and promote positive change. This is a recipe for a possible shift in the continent’s politics. Life president’s in Africa are trying harder to impose laws aimed at information control. Information control in this case entails allowing information that favor their bad governance and institutionalised corruption. Take for example Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, he plunged his country in an information blackout (suspended internet) so that to prevent wide circulation of information about vote fraud during the January 14 elections. Another example is Ethiopia where Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed imposed communication blackout on Tigray while the battle that has killed several thousands and displaced millions raged.
In Nigeria, social media popularized the #Endsars campaign and mounted pressure on government so that president Buhari responded and granted people’s demands. Impressive, isn’t it?
These examples tells how important social media has become and how it is threatening perpetuators of corruption and wars across the continent. However, social media has also been associated with cyber bullying, porn revenge, scamming and conspiracy theories. It is natural everywhere to find people abusing things or systems meant to help change society for the better.
In Africa, cyber bullying is rife but underreported. Its prevalence consists in increased suicide cases and depression especially in central region of Africa. It also comes with porn revenge where lovers are blackmailing and exposing their partners’ nudity. One graphic example is ZAMBIA’S former General Education Minister, David Mabumba who enjoyed ill social media publicity after his purported side-chick leaked a video of him fondling his genitals. Examples are endless and lessons are inexhaustible.
