When I think of Nigerian blogs, I think about all the ways the media, just like the economy of our country, fails every one of us.
For an industry with such a promising medium for self-expression and discourse has evolved into a catastrophe of some sort – we are presented with the modern era of sensationalism, misinformation, instigation, defamation, dehumanization, and the famous click-baiting.
Needless to say, it is a global experience, but has become something of huge concern in the country for both public figures and simple citizens.
The negative vices range from;
- Clickbait titles designed to shock, provoke, or entice readers into clicking are often intended to mislead and exaggerate the content.
- The spread of false and misleading information confuses readers and diminishes trust in credible sources.
- The posting of identical content across multiple blogs, therefore altering the originality.
- Prioritizing advertising and revenue over giving authentic, educational, and entertaining content.
- Reducing complex issues to engagement tactics and neglecting the importance of nuance conversations.
- Cyberbullying and doxing of public figures as a way to get back after them.
Is there much we can do you might wonder? It might take a lot of work, but the authenticity of Nigerian blogs can be restored.
- Implementing and enforcing media laws that guide the regulation of public content.
- Encourage nuanced conversations to encourage an all-encompassing viewpoint of the masses.
- Strike a balance between generating revenue and prioritizing content integrity.
- By declaring punishment by the state for offenders who choose to use their platform to dehumanize others.
In this digital age of mental awareness, it is important to realize that the media causes irreparable damage to the personalities of people. It is not just another blog post. It is information with the masses operating.