IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS ON THE PERCEPTION OF POLITICS BY THEATRE ARTS STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated social media influencers, bordering on their impact on the students of Theatre Arts, University of Benin and how that impact influenced the students' perception of politics. The Spiral of silence theory and Expectancy theory were employed in this study to stand as backdrops for hypotheses that social media influencers have a reasonable amount of impact on youths (Theatre Arts students of the University of Benin). Using Survey design, a questionnaire was employed to elicit data from the 84 respondents purposively selected from the various strata of Theatre Arts students of the University of Benin. The study found that Social Media Influencers have a positive impact on Theatre Arts students of the University of Benin, as they are moved to vote during elections and be involved in other political activities. Social Media Influencers also move the students of Theatre Arts to advocate for a better Nigeria, and have a general positive outlook towards Nigeria’s politics. To this end, this study recommends that Social Media Influencers should further continue to desist from promoting vices on their platforms in order to inculcate the right morals in Nigerian youths. Social Media influencers should also engage in political activities, as they cannot influence the youths into doing what they do not engage in themselves. Similarly, the government should put more efforts into sensitizing Nigerian youths on citizen participation in political activities.