Ethics of Social Media Influence in Voting Decision of Youths in the September 2024 Anambra Local Government Election

Abstract

This study examines the role of social media in the 2024 Anambra State local elections, highlighting its importance in engaging voters and influencing campaign dynamics. Social media enhances youth participation, campaigning, and support mobilization, but it also raises ethical concerns, particularly regarding misinformation and propaganda spread by digital generative multimedia tools (DGMTs). These tools can manipulate voter perceptions and undermine electoral integrity, presenting a dual challenge, fostering democratic engagement while risking ethical breaches. Guided by the Technology Determinism Theory (TDT), the Digital Generative Multimedia Tool Theory (DGMTT), and Mediation Theory, a survey of 400 respondents among over 2.76 million voters used Likert-scale questionnaires and descriptive statistics. Findings indicate that social media positively impacts youth involvement and candidate choice but also exacerbates misinformation, especially through DGMTs. This ethical dilemma is crucial for Nigeria's democracy, as social media's influence in the election raises concerns about disinformation, hate speech, and manipulation. The research offers an empirical baseline for understanding these dynamics in the context of Anambra's local government elections. Recommendations include prioritizing digital literacy campaigns and establishing self-regulatory ethical guidelines for political actors and youths to promote responsible platform use. The study fills a gap in understanding the specific ethical implications and influence patterns among Nigerian youths, emphasizing the need to safeguard electoral integrity amid the rapid proliferation of emerging digital tools. Keywords: Ethics, social media influence, voting decision, Local Government Election, youths, Anambra State, DGMTT.