Language use in the social media: A tool for integrating national security issues

Abstract

The social network with its rapid popularity, constitutes one platform of expression through the use of language. It has helped in bridging the gaps of communication especially where television, radio, media print etc. could not scale through. The intermediary of major bargain in social network is the extent of the language involved, and manipulation of language use seems to be sometimes scary, destructive, deceptive, fanatical and bigotry. Ethnicity, religion and political terrains determine and endanger the factors that effect and affect the nation’s security. This study examines language use through the windows of two selected social network sites – the Facebook and Short Simple Messages (SMS) which are among the fastest growing social networks in use in Nigerian context. Language use in these social network sites has become a social menace and a threat to the security of Nigeria. The research made use of raw data from individual texts gathered from SMS and Facebook, especially sentimental language. Findings reveal that the language used in the social media is complex, sensitive and sometimes threatening. These findings pose challenges that need to be confronted in other to promote national security.