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COVID-19 Infodemic: Media Literacy & Perception of Fake News Among Residents of Ikeja, Lagos State

31 Pages Posted: 14 Aug 2021 Publication Status: Preprint

See all articles by Omotola Nejo

Omotola Nejo

Covenant University

Lanre Amodu

Covenant University

Abstract

Infodemic is an admixture of accurate and inaccurate information that makes the solution to a problem more difficult to solve. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overlooked due to the influx of false information relating to the virus which has the tendency to create panic and cause the people to make uninformed decisions as a result of the emergence of the internet that has opened up a whole new space that is accessible as day via the social media platforms. Hence, media literacy is required, one of the essential skills that will aid in the identification of fake news. The study adopted the Agenda Setting theory and Health Belief Model as explanatory tools. The descriptive survey research design was adopted involving the use of questionnaire. The sample size for this study was 400 respondents selected from the total number of population in Ikeja residents of Lagos state which was sectioned into wards and thereafter, streets adopting the multi-stage sampling technique. In order to proceed in filling of the questionnaire, firsthand question on their knowledge regarding fake news will be sought purposively. The study found out that WhatsApp and Facebook were the most source of fake news. Also, the audience negatively perceives fake news relating to the COVID-19 pandemic as it is viewed as alarming and shouldn‟t be overlooked. The study concludes that fake news was prevailed much. Hence, the importance for the grasps of media literacy in order to identify and verify every message regarding the COVID-19 as dispersed virally. The study recommends that handlers of blogs, websites, social media platforms and tech experts scrutinize every messages before sending it out and understand that aside from the eagerness to break the latest news content, they should act responsibly as well which will aid the citizens to make healthy and informed decisions regarding their health.

Suggested Citation

Nejo, Omotola and Amodu, Lanre, COVID-19 Infodemic: Media Literacy & Perception of Fake News Among Residents of Ikeja, Lagos State (2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3905153 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3905153

Omotola Nejo (Contact Author)

Covenant University

P.M.B. 1023
Km 10 Idiroko road
Ota, 234
Nigeria

Lanre Amodu

Covenant University

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