A social media is a digital scientific platform where group of persons or individuals interact and exchange views, knowledge and information for the benefit of the society. That is why it is called Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Social media began in 80s (eighty’s) as Television, Video set, Radio Broadcast etc., But during millennium from the year 2000 precisely, it extended its scope to INTERNET (International Network of Computers) Network known as cloud network connection; the system is whereby deploying ICT gadgets is no more one sided communication as it was in the 80s like News cast, film shows/movies, Radio cast, Adverts etc. as all these were one side way communication without room for their audience to reply the information. But the new development gave room for two sideways communications where we have the sender and the receiver of information interacting on the platform. For instance, in the 80s, the receiver cannot reply to information digitally because it was one side way programed broadcast but today it is not like that anymore because of the present of digital GSM number and Digital mobile phone GSM that allow dissemination of information in seconds both in verbal and written form, also as a mobile computer aided device that support Microsoft features. They are all digital families that help in facilitating information in modern age. So with these gadgets, one in broadcast station can get feedback from his audience to know their opinion on what He features on the broadcast station just by releasing His phone line or contact number on the screen of a Television station. This is why today, the receiver of information can reply because it is two sideways programmed with innovated ICT gadgets like Computers and GSM mobile phone; with these facts, the modern definition of a SOCIAL MEDIA has changed from Analogue to Digital being more scientific in nature. Today, SOCIAL MEDIA can be defined as websites and software programs used for social Networking of individuals, groups of persons, families, tribes, languages, nations etc. Examples of digital social media are websites like facebook.com, twitter.com, Google.com, whatsup.com, lindaikeji.blogspot.com, emekaonyia.blogspot.com, wisdombankproject.blogspot.com etc.
So, having established what we mean
by SOCIAL MEDIA, now the question
remains: “what activities are expected
in a social media? The activities of a social media differs from one
another, since the Analogue platform are phasing out like the dial up phone
line of NITEL in Nigeria is no more in existence after the GSM innovation in
90s took over the Global communication with introduction of MTN and Econet SIMS NETWORK as
the first Sims Packs in 90s to solve this Global communication digital trend in
development. The formerly Social media platforms that were incomplete digital
like the radio stations and Television station were made complete with this
change in communication. And they are today complete digital like other
platform. So Radio and Television stations can get feedback or
responds from their public Audience based on the duties as well as make changes
to the dissemination of information with the help of GSM mobile hotlines on
their Television screen. Also sourcing of adverts from the public is no more going
to the Television or radio station to book your adverts, but it is a mobile
line arrangement today as well as mobile Bank transfer affairs as payment
method. This is one of the social media activities in digital age.
On the other hand, is another social
media activity as entirely a new platform in digital age; that is WEBSITES CREATION AND MANAGEMENT, like
we said earlier that we have websites like Facebook.com,
Twitter.com, linkedin.com etc. that deal more on Profile and picture management while lindaikeji.blogspot.com and emekaonyia.blogspot.com
that deals more on World class
Entertainment News cast, ICT Educational information and adverts/awareness.
Now, one thing common with these Social media is that you can contribute your
views/opinion based on section 39 of Nigerian Constitution as regarding the
content or information the person is dishing out to the public. This you can do
through a comment box attached to every post, for example there is one of the
post on a topic: “People living with HIV
AIDS” on my website emekaonyia.blogspot.com,
that is receiving the highest response as comment from beneficiary and you can
see the link: https://emekaonyia.blogspot.com/2017/12/kathrine-charlotte-testimony-of-being.html#comment-form , this is
why every website must have a comment box, that is a criteria for a website
approval by Google.com, so that they can know and determine the measure of
influence your website is creating around the Globe. Now coming to the
activities of the profile and picture management websites, it is must
requirement, that every individual featuring with them like Facebook.com, twitter.com, whatsup.com and
linkedin.com must have a private account, which He alone can manage his/her
picture as well as profile to one’s taste. So by signing up with a username and password as well as your phone number and email as a security
measure; you are qualified to own account with all these website mentioned. And
from there you begin to reach friends and well-wishers in distant places with
greetings and exchange of profile and chatting information. Today, so many
people scans their official documents and save them in their facebook.com account as a rescue point
as well as emergency demands anywhere. But that is good idea, because I knew
someone years back, that lost His document to fire disaster that got his house
burnt down, but fortunately, He had scanned all His qualifications, as well as
official documents and save them on His face book account, so it was easy to
print it out, instead of going through process of getting New ones. So, coming
to picture and profile management
websites, everyone must signup an account before participating in the comment
and posting.
Now, the question remains, “why are these social media platform good?”
The social media platform is good, because its opinions, events and ideas,
which contributes to how the society is being shaped. People all over the world
can exchange information, contacts and business ideas on this platform in
seconds. Look, distance is never a barrier. So with modern ICT gadgets like
phones and computers, in a network, we can transform our society with genuine
online activities in diverse form. People all over the world contribute
information in science, Engineering,
Agriculture, Poultry Farm management, Aviation, Media Studio Management,
Medicine, health. ICT ETC. Some of this information is supported with pictures or Video learning through U-tube.
Still on activities of social
media, the Nigerian Communication
Commission (NCC) developed from winning up of former (NITEL) Nigerian Telecommunication Company after operating as digital MTEL Office and folded; is
currently a National statutory ICT body empowered to regulate the GSM
subscribers as well as digital subscribers and their consumers. NCC came up
with diverse laws to regulate or control digital communication ranging from GSM
SIM pack registration introduced by former late Minister for information and
Communication PROF.DORA AKUNYILI to
social media activities. So that every misrepresentation of individual to
commit crime will be easily detected and fished out. Especially online, the
misrepresentation of identity in social media is a crime contrary to section 419 of Nigerian constitution
that has to do with pretense or forgery with intention to induce the
public to deliver money or property to one that is infuriating the injustice.
It is a fraudulent intention on the social media whereby one cease the images
or pictures of notable and official dignitaries or personalities in the Social
media like T.B JOSHUA, MBAKA,OYAKHILOME, BUHARI, OYEDEPO ETC. to extort money
from people or the public under pretense. These people are many on the facebook.com
and will hide their identity like profile and picture substituting it with a
picture of a dignitary as well as foreign bank account to extract money with
scam messages and information that is passionate; just to dupe one or people.
But tell them that if EFCC apprehend them on this economic and financial crime;
it is 21 years imprisonment. This is why NCC came up with their own measures to
curb the corruption as well as regulate Sims pack consumer in Nigeria like
Airtel, 9mobile, MTN and GLO Network Consumers by making sure they register
their identity as well as their picture and Biometrics being captured in their
system:
On the other hand, there is another
regulating measure from Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) as introduced by World Bank. The introduction of Biometric Verification Number (BVN) is
a measure to curb all these corruption in the society. Now, you will not likely
own a bank account or transact a genuine business without a valid BVN from an
accredited commercial bank in Nigeria. This is why “The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), came up with
the new National Identity registration Card, whereby, you submit your BVN on
request as a number that connote your identity in federal and international level,
knowing full well that your BVN carries information about you and your banks.
So when you give false information about your identity; NIMC will know and your
registration will prove unsuccessful. But why are these measures matter most?
It matters most, especially in online transaction whereby your international
business clients will identify you by your BVN or National identity number just
by inserting it in Google Engine optimization or search engine. Then, it will display
the needed information about you or by visiting NIMC website to check your ID
details with your national ID card number; then the white men officials will
know everything about you. So, no room for hiding identity, it is either you
have a BVN and National ID Card to qualify for national and international
transaction or you don’t have any to be disqualified from such because every
Overseas private and public companies will give a column in their official
forms online for you to supply your means of National identification or National Identification Number or BVN
for banking sectors. These measures have helped in limiting fraudulent
activities online.
Another point of discussion is
hacking people with ICT Gadgets like phones, Laptops and Computer on a network
through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Wi-max,
even when the gadgets are not on any network, professional hackers will cease
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to project virus as a means to search your phone as well as
penetrate your private storage devices to extract information and that is called
illegal intrusion. Today, the hacking in the system has gone nuclear that even
when someone with a GSM phone switches it off and keeps it with the power
battery intact, they still use their sophisticated phones to penetrate it once
there is power supply from the DC (Direct Current) battery to that gadget or
even when the phone is charging, this is also applicable to your laptops and
computer system. But because Desktop computer system does not have room for
charging battery, so therefore, no current supply when it is shut down, these
hackers are powerless to this mode of activities in Desktop Computer. What is their aim and objective, their aim and
objective of doing this is nothing but stealing by trick. Especially, on how to
have access to your financial transactions and diversion of any foreseen
payment based on contracts you executed, and as a result, they will tend to
manipulate and reset your phone and computer to their own easy use to connect
to the internet, even when you are not connected to a Network through an access
point modem, they have a means of connecting through you gadget, especially
when your system saves your password for you to gain access to your private
accounts through your computer without the stress of going through rigorous
process of re-typing your password. Sometimes, when you are in operating mode,
they will cease this means to wire your screen and log you out of your account;
then you will be surprise, what is happening? But as a professional in ICT, I
easily detect their activities and intrusion as well as how to handle them.
This is my 22 years in ICT, i don’t think that anyone can outsmart me easily
and go scot free without my notice on what the person has done.
Now, because of this endemic Global
corruption of hacking in the society, especially Nigeria, there should be
accurate measures to control and curb these wicked activities; and that is why
the international Police move around the world to arrest suspected chronic
hackers. People like Hushpuppi who was accused of hacking, after recovery from
him about 3000 emails of notable personalities in the world during apprehending,
though they recovered a lot of gadgets from him which does not prove he is a
hacker like phones and laptops but what are you doing with extractor used to
extract emails, and 3000 emails of personalities? This was what implicated him
to jail, and he was convicted even after successful defense from his lawyer of
the allegations. The amount of money recovered from him that runs in billions
of dollars is not what Google can pay him; if the net worth of Google CEO is running in hundred and two ($102,000,000,000.00)
Billions of dollars and they recovered about, three hundred and forty ($340,000,000,000.00)
Billion from your account, you cannot claim that it is Google alone that
pays you that money, why? Because Google cannot pay you more than their Net
worth; So that his claims and proves is not enough defenses for such amount
recovered from him.
Now, as an ICT professional, let us
digress to see what he does with those Emails he extracted with his extractors.
The emails he extracted are kept for future targets of financial transactions
of the owners. Now, how does he achieve these? He begins by sending scam
messages and news that carries virus attack to the owners of those emails. The
unfortunate ones may dance to the tune of the message and become duped
immediately. But before this, know that once the owners of those emails click
on those messages to read it; the virus that came with those messages known as Trojan
will gain entrance to your system may be through download of a document. And by
this, the hacker will begin to have access to your transactions, look; distance
is never a barrier to what I am saying. Someone can be hacking your system from
overseas. So what this Trojan to include spyware and malware do is to give feed
back to the hacker on your activities, your password and username is very easy
for them to discover. So, they can gain entrance to your email at any time and
claim your financial fortunes. With this virus, they know when your computer is
on and off, as well as when you go online and offline. You are now a captive to
hackers by clicking on a particular message with a unique file name.
Again, is how can we conquer these
hackers? To conquer them to a certain measure is to be careful with any email
or message on your phone and computer that come with executable file extension
(.exe), so be careful with any message that ends with (.exe.) as an extension
and any picture that ends with (.doc), these are potential virus on your
system, especially in your email. A picture supposed to end as (.jpg) or (.jpeg)
while message supposed to end with (.doc) in download or as pdf file. So be careful
because once you click on those files, you download a virus in your system from
email sent as advert or business news. And from that moment hackers had gained access
to everything in your computer. Another measure you need to be conscious of is
sharing documents like files and printers, this is another method they cease to
penetrate your system, when you share printer or network as public, they can
easily through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth gain access into your system and began to drag
settings with you as well as exhaust your airtime and manipulate your saved
data. So, the only thing is to desist from file sharing of any kind. Just to
protect your documents.
Finally, still on how to conquer
and defeat them, for the chronic hackers, ANTI-VIRUS
AND ANTI-MALWARE is not enough, some uses lockdown 2000 and firewall
as a defense but yet, I have tried all these, it is not enough because a
chronic hacker will do everything to disable these measures from operation in
your system and become successful. I have even used window task bar by pressing
ctrl + shit + del key to pump it up and end the task of successful intrusion of
external gadgets. But that does not solve it because sometimes in the process,
I will end the main task of my system operation. I have even gone through
MS-DOS, to disengage the established ones by typing the command: C:/>NETSTAT
–ANO as well as using TASKKILL command to terminate the established PID as
C:/>TASKKILL /PID 2852, which is deemed established virus or hacker. But before
you engage on this, make sure that your system is offline or it is not in any
network. So hackers are good in tracing your financial transactions so that they
can easily divert it. This is how they even dupe banks by throwing this virus
through massive email messages. So be careful not to click on executable files
in your email. With these measures, I think we can call it a day, long lives Federal Ministry of Information
and Communication Technology, and long lives Federal Republic of Nigeria, long
lives Nations of the world.
Written by:
ONYIA EMEKA
HEATH
+2348186388641
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