Browsing by Author "Matali, Mutonga"

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    An investigation of the impact of social media as an effective communication tool in Namibia: A case study of the Affirmative repositioning Movement (ARM)
    (University of Namibia, 2017) Matali, Mutonga
    The study assesses the impact of social media, as a communication tool, its efficacy and the paradigm change it has brought to the communication process in Namibia. Using a qualitative method in the form of a case study, the researcher focuses on Namibia‟s socio-political movement, the Affirmative Repositioning Movement (ARM) to predict the impact of social media in Namibia, particularly Facebook. ARM is a youth driven movement which put immense pressure on the Government of Namibia to make access to land to the Namibian youth imperative. Participants of the study, selected using purposive sampling, are 10, comprised of five (5) most active users on the ARM Facebook page; one (1) news editor of New Era; one (1) news editor of the Namibian Sun, one (1) news editor from the Namibian and two (2) leaders of ARM. Interview guides with semi-structured questions was used to collect data from self-administered interview sessions. The study established that 100 percent of respondents who participated successfully confirmed they are connected to social media sites including Facebook and that all of them have substantial knowledge of ARM and its activities. The study further highlights that ARM‟s land campaign was deemed successful credited to the group‟s aggressive use of social media, particularly Facebook. Despite its popularity, social media challenges are recorded such as the quick spread of incorrect information as well as compromised security for internet users, hence the recommendation that social media host companies need to improve internet security by installing firewalls that prevent hacking of data and customer accounts. Further, the researcher recommends that law makers should ensure that the regulation of social media does not infringe on the citizens‟ rights to freedom of expression. Finally, the study recommended that Namibians should embrace social media as a tool for learning.