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Sharing Information on WhatsApp in Pandemic Era: A case of Covid-19 in Nigeria

Authors: Soyemi Opeyemi , Adepoju , & ABOLARIN Mobolude

Publication Type: Journal article

Journal: Journal Of Applied Information Science And Technology

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Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims at investigating information sharing patterns on COVID-19 among WhatsApp users during the pandemic in Nigeria. People share and forward information, call and hold meetings using social media including WhatsApp. WhatsApp is a proprietary application that runs across various phone platforms allowing users to share or send information even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/Methodology & Approach: Using a survey design with WhatsApp use rs in Nigeria being the study’s population. Since the researchers could not clearly define members of the population, the snowball sampling technique was used to enumerate data from 183 WhatsApp users sampled for the study. Data was collected for three (3) weeks during the strict lockdown directive by the Federal Government of Nigeria using a validated online questionnaire developed using the google form. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages.

Findings: The findings of the study showed that more than half of the respondents rated their ability to share information online. The respondents shared COVID-19 information they created on WhatsApp including those ones created by others. More than half of the respondents often received COVID-19 information on WhatsApp. Also, International Health Organizations and National Health Organizations were the most popular sources of COVID-19 information. Majority of the respondents shared information and updates or news on COVID-19,
Implications: WhatsApp is a popular tool among the Nigerian populace for sharing COVID-19 information. COVID-19 information providers can leverage on people’s trust in the Health organizations to disseminate COVID-19 information and strategies for humanity to prevail over the virus by using WhatsApp as a veritable sharing platform using text, video and picture format.
Originality/Value: The originality of this work lies on the clear identification of formats, sources and types of COVID-19 information shared during in Nigeria during the pandemic.

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Soyemi,O. Adepoju,K. ABOLARIN,M. . (2021). Sharing Information on WhatsApp in Pandemic Era: A case of Covid-19 in Nigeria, 14 (), 221-221.

Soyemi,O. Adepoju,K. ABOLARIN,M. . "Sharing Information on WhatsApp in Pandemic Era: A case of Covid-19 in Nigeria" 14, no (), (2021): 221-221.

Soyemi,O. and Adepoju,K. and ABOLARIN,M. and . (2021). Sharing Information on WhatsApp in Pandemic Era: A case of Covid-19 in Nigeria, 14 (), pp221-221.

SoyemiO, AdepojuK, ABOLARINM, . Sharing Information on WhatsApp in Pandemic Era: A case of Covid-19 in Nigeria. 2021, 14 ():221-221.

Soyemi,Opeyemi , Adepoju,Kayode , and ABOLARIN,Mobolude . "Sharing Information on WhatsApp in Pandemic Era: A case of Covid-19 in Nigeria", 14 . (2021) : 221-221.

S.Opeyemi A.Kayode & A.Mobolude , "Sharing Information on WhatsApp in Pandemic Era: A case of Covid-19 in Nigeria" vol.14, no., pp. 221-221, 2021.

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