SOCIAL MEDIA FETISHISATION AND YOUNG MARRIED NETIZENS IN PORT HARCOURT METROPOLIS
Keywords:
Social media, fetishisation, netizens, marriage, validationAbstract
The rapid growth of social media in Nigeria has significantly reshaped patterns of self-expression, communication, and relationship management, particularly among young married couples. This study examines the phenomenon of social media fetishisation, the excessive idealisation and pursuit of digital validation among young married netizens in Port Harcourt Metropolis. Grounded in Technological Determinism and Uses and Gratifications theories, the study employed a descriptive survey design to investigate how online representations of marital life influence communication, intimacy, and relational satisfaction. A total of 384 respondents were selected across three local government areas using a multi-stage sampling technique, and data were analysed through quantitative and qualitative methods. Findings reveal a high prevalence of social media fetishisation among married netizens, driven by the desire for visibility, admiration, and social approval. The study further established that online validation has become a symbolic measure of marital success, leading to reduced face-to-face communication, privacy erosion, and emotional strain. While social media provides avenues for connection and expression, its fetishisation distorts authentic intimacy and fosters unrealistic expectations. The study concludes that social media fetishisation has become a defining yet problematic aspect of marital identity among young Nigerian netizens. It recommends that couples cultivate digital moderation, while marriage counsellors and policymakers integrate social media literacy into marital guidance programmes to promote healthier relational practices in the digital age.
References
Abiala, M. (2019). Performing intimacy online: African youth and digital self-presentation. Lagos: Pan-African Media Press.
Abiala, M., &Kehinde, F. (2020). Social media validation and relational attachment among young Nigerian couples. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 12(1), 55–68.
Adesina, E., &Adegoke, O. (2021). Social media engagement and youth culture in Nigeria. African Journal of Communication Studies, 8(2), 23–39.
Adewale, T. (2023). Digital lifestyle and marital values among young Nigerians. Nigerian Journal of Media and Society, 15(1), 102–118.
Akanbi, S., &Nwachukwu, C. (2020). Social comparison and marital tension in the age of social media. Journal of Psychology and Social Behaviour, 6(3), 87–101.
Baudrillard, J. (1998). The consumer society: Myths and structures. London: Sage.
Blumler, J. G., & Katz, E. (1974). The uses of mass communications: Current perspectives on gratifications research. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Chukwu, C., &Ekwueme, A. (2020). Impression management and self-presentation among Nigerian Instagram users. Nigerian Journal of Communication Research, 10(2), 44–61.
Couldry, N., & van Dijck, J. (2015). Researching social media as if the social mattered. Social media + Society, 1(2), 1–7.
Edegoh, L. O. N., &Asemah, E. S. (2019). Social media and marital relationships in Nigeria: A study of young couples. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 11(1), 201–216.
Ellul, J. (1964). The technological society. New York, NY: Vintage Books.
Freud, S. (1927). Fetishism. London: Hogarth Press.
Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. New York, NY: Doubleday.
Hauben, M., &Hauben, R. (1997). Netizens: On the history and impact of Usenet and the Internet. Los Alamitos, CA: IEEE Computer Society Press.
Iheanacho, K. (2021). Digital culture and youth identity in Port Harcourt Metropolis. Niger Delta Journal of Media Studies, 5(1), 77–91.
Illouz, E. (2019). The end of love: A sociology of negative relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., &Gurevitch, M. (1974). Utilization of mass communication by the individual. In J. G. Blumler & E. Katz (Eds.), The uses of mass communications: Current perspectives on gratifications research (pp. 19–32). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Marwick, A. (2013). Status update: Celebrity, publicity, and branding in the social media age. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Marx, K. (1976). Capital: A critique of political economy (Vol. 1). London: Penguin. (Original work published 1867)
McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding media: The extensions of man. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). (2023). Annual report on internet penetration and broadband usage in Nigeria. Abuja: NCC Publications.
Nwafor, K., &Omenugha, K. (2021). Marriage, gender, and digital respectability in Nigerian social media spaces. Journal of African Media Studies, 13(4), 511–527.
Uche, D., &Akpan, E. (2021). Trend participation and self-presentation among Nigerian netizens. Contemporary African Communication Review, 9(2), 65–82.
Uduak, E., &Akpan, F. (2022). Social media use and marital satisfaction among urban Nigerian couples. International Journal of Communication and Society, 7(3), 112–128.
Winner, L. (1977). Autonomous technology: Technics-out-of-control as a theme in political thought. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Author
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
