Social media literacy and cybercrime: a study of Calabar Metropolis, Cross River, Nigeria

Abstract

This research “Social Media Literacy and Cybercrime in Calabar Metropolis Cross River State, Nigeria,” is aimed at assessing the relationship between social media illiteracy and vulnerability of people towards to cyber-related crimes in Calabar metropolis. It is also aimed at finding if residents of the metropolis and the law enforcement agents deploy social media platforms in combating cyber-induced crimes, and to determine whether exposure to social media platforms also leads to cybercrime. The study made use of survey design method, while the researcher adopted the situational crime prevention theory as a theoretical framework. Questionnaire was employed as an instrument for data collection. One hundred thirty respondents were picked through random sampling method, with simple percentage statistics used for data analysis. Findings revealed that social media illiteracy has tremendous impact on cyber-induced crimes particularly in Calabar metropolis and can also be used as a veritable tool to be deployed by the law enforcement agents to monitor and, possibly track down those involved in cybercrime in Calabar metropolis.