
Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, the platform has taken a turn that, in the Nigerian context, holds dangerous implications. While it was once a tool for activism, like during the #EndSARS movement, Twitter now thrives on clickbait, misinformation, and provocative content, prioritizing revenue generation over truth. Nigerian users, aware of this shift, have joined the race for engagement, clout, and financial reward through the new revenue-sharing program. It’s a system that rewards controversy and rewards viral content, often at the expense of moral clarity and societal good.
Instances of fake news being shared to garner likes, retweets, and ad revenue are more frequent, contributing to societal division and diluting the quality of discourse. The recent trend of deliberately inflammatory political takes, geared not toward sparking meaningful conversation but toward increasing metrics, is an example of how the platform is being used to profit from chaos. Nigerians who once used the platform to advocate for change now see it as a means to make a quick buck.
Imagine a future where the majority of social media influencers and activists in Nigeria no longer seek truth or accountability, but rather ways to manipulate algorithms. If this trend continues, Twitter could transform into a marketplace for disinformation, where the loudest, most controversial voices drown out those advocating for social progress. Instead of fostering democracy and transparency, social media could become the very tool used to undermine them.
Following this course, the next election cycles or civil unrest movements could be met with a flood of misinformation, fueled by financial incentives. The truth may become increasingly difficult to find, buried under an avalanche of misleading narratives designed to maximize ad revenue. In a country like Nigeria, where political awareness and civic participation are crucial for progress, such a shift could have dire consequences for democracy, justice, and societal cohesion.
If not addressed, the future of digital spaces, particularly Twitter, in Nigeria looks bleak, and the very platforms built to amplify marginalized voices may become a breeding ground for greed, deception, and public disillusionment.
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