The role of the mass media as the mobilizer for social
integration and cultural harmonization can not be over-emphasised. This is
besides its traditional role of informing, educating and entertaining the
public.

Since the advent of the mass media as the means of
communication, it has helped to shape the world in various forms, and as well
succeeded in attracting large audience. It is not by accident seeing people
besieging the newspaper stands looking for newspapers to buy for information
and current news, or seeing people staying close to their radio or television
sets just to know what happens around the world.

In recent times however, especially with the advent of new
technology known as social media, there has been a fast decline in media
consumption. The public, mostly youths, have shifted from using the mass media
as their means of getting information, to social media which comes in form of
laptop  and mobile telecommunications.

Given the invention of modern technologies in the world
today, which gives birth to social media, one does not expect the world to be
static. In other words, social media is a welcome development in our society.
It serves as a mobile media though which people get latest information about
the happenings around the world. It also serves as the fastest means of
inter-personal communication to users.

Regrettably however, there has been a gross abuse of the
social media by most users, especially the youth. It is a common practice among
many users to exploit the social media to defame characters of many highly
placed people in the society, most especially political office holders and
other eminent citizens perceived to be political opponents.

A good example came to limelight during the fuel subsidy
crisis in January, this year. Many users of the social network who were opposed
to the fuel subsidy removal used the medium to rain abuses on President
Goodluck Jonathan. The same scenario repeated itself when the President
re-named the University of Lagos after the late politician and the winner of
the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola. This, to
me, amounts to abuse of the social media. It is a total disregard for the highest
office in the land and should be condemned.

This kind of abuse is not possible in the mass media i.e.
newspapers, radio and television. While the mass media sifts facts and
information and serves as a check on information excesses, the social media is
raw in its information for the simple reason that there is nobody to serve as a
gatekeeper.

Recently, the Senate President, Senator David Mark bemoaned
the abuse of social media and called for caution on the part of users. I wish
to lend my voice to that call.

Meanwhile, the attention given to social media has robbed
our society of moral values, and as well reduced the standard of our education.
Students particularly devote much more time to social media and internet than
what they devote to their studies. Many have cultivated the habit of using
their precious time chatting on feacebook or playing games. Whereas, some of
them could barely write simple sentences in English language. You could imagine
the effects of this on our education.

It is imperative therefore to re-orientate our youths,
especially the students, on the use of social media. It is true that social
media plays a major role in keeping the users informed, but we should draw a
line between its advantages and its negative aspects.

Again, people should devote much more time to the mass media
than the social media. Although their functions are interrelated, the mass
media gives more accurate information than the social media, whose sources
sometimes are unverifiable.

The mass media itself should live up to the expectation, by
introducing programmes that would get the attention of the audience. We are in
a competitive world where the mass media should be more proactive in its
service to the people.

Godstime is a student of Mass Communication, RSUST, Port
Harcourt.

Ogum Chukwu Godstime