E-Business
Social Media as Strong Campaign Strategy For #Election2015
In spite the evidence that social media have become crucial in political campaigns, Nigeria politicians are still yet to embrace these platforms as the right strategy for their political election quests.
In 2008, President Obama victory to become the president of the United States of America was digitally driven with integrated Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus into his campaign strategies and has continued to connect with the constituents on social media well, after winning the elections.
This was also experienced in India 2014 elections where social media were pivotal in the sweeping victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
I believe it is time for political aspirants, in Nigeria, to really understand the importance of social media to their campaign successes.
It’s no secret that the campaign website is the hub of a campaign’s online activity, but social media are important supporting casts that can drive valuable traffic to the site and engage voters on a more personal level.
Social Media have rapidly grown in importance as fora for political activism in their different forms.
Social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube provide new ways to stimulate citizen engagement in political life, where elections and electoral campaigns have a central role.
Personal communication via social media brings politicians and parties closer to their potential voters.
The process allows politicians to communicate faster and reach citizens in a more targeted manner and vice versa, without the intermediate role of mass media.
Reactions, feedback, conversations and debates are generated online as well as support and participation for offline events.
Messages posted to personal networks are multiplied when shared, which allow new audiences to be reached.
Social media has reshaped structures and methods of contemporary political communication by influencing the way politicians interact with citizens and each other.
In addition, you want to use social media for your election because the reach is huge, it appeals to the youths and real-time sharing is a viral tool for engagement.
What Social Media Should a Political Campaign Use? This question is a difficult one to answer.
When deciding how many social networks to join, it ultimately comes down to the candidate’s appeal and the campaign’s resources.
The number one rule is: to not have any social media presence become a “ghost town,” meaning, don’t join networks that you don’t have the available resources to update or be active in.
It reflects horribly on a campaign to have a vacuous social network profile – a rarely update presence makes it appear that the campaign doesn’t value that network and its demographics while also suggesting that the campaign is more of a spammer than general conversation constructer.
While the first rule is to not overextend yourself into too many networks, that doesn’t excuse any candidate from not having a presence on at least a few of the top networks.
We believe it’s absolutely necessary to have presences on at least: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Google Plus.
I like to call these networks the Big Five.
They’re the fastest growing and farthest reaching of social networks; also, they represent Five distinct ways of publishing to and connecting with voters.
1. Facebook is comprehensive and allows you to post pictures, add videos, send detailed mass messages, publicly interact on Walls, and more.
2. Twitter excels in short message bursts, event updates, blog post pushes, and breaking news. It allows a campaign to instantly send a succinct message to 1000’s of followers and also lets the campaign interact with other people in a one-on-one manner.
3. YouTube is purely a video medium. However, its reach cannot be underestimated. The service’s search engine is second in use only to Google!
This staggering number of searches makes it essential to own your candidate’s name for search on this platform.
4. Instagram should be used to publish campaign photos.
With over 150 million monthly active visitors, it’s an important place to be and exposes your campaign to an important network.
5. Google Plus allows you to have video conferencing calls using hangout with your circle of voters. It also allows you post pictures and videos. Over 540 million active users.
As you can see, each network is totally unique and allows you to connect with a huge audience. Voters expect every campaign to be on these media.
In addition to simply having a presence on each of these networks, you should update them frequently and make sure that they are linked to from your main campaign website, allowing voters to easily get access and engage you in the different networks.
Depending on your campaign’s message and target, other networks could also prove to be very useful.
For a candidate with a strong business background, LinkedIn is a logical choice.
There are dozens of other networks out there, with niche focuses ranging from veterans to volunteers.
If you have the available resources, the first networks to focus on after the “Big FIve” are those focused on niches to which your candidate has specific ties.
This strategy allows you to use natural synergies and capitalize on the base character of the candidate and campaign. No matter which networks you focus on though, it’s important to never break the first rule by allowing any of your presences to become a ghost town.
Tobi Asehinde is the founder and chief executive officer of Vibe Web Solutions Limited, a company poised to providing web and digital marketing solutions to meet the needs of both businesses and government organisation. Vibe Web Solutions Limited has clients based within and outside Nigeria servicing both businesses and governmental organisations. He can be contacted via: tobi.asehinde@vibewebsolutions.com or 0816 528 9018
Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner, Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), has emphasized that data privacy, protection, and cybersecurity are “inseparable pillars of the digital age” and must be prioritized in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.
Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner, NDPC
Dr. Olatunji made this assertion during his keynote address titled “Data Privacy and Protection: Nigeria’s Roadmap to Compliance” at the ongoing National Cybersecurity Conference in Abuja.
He underscored that while data protection focuses on safeguarding personal information from misuse, cybersecurity protects the systems that store this data. “Data privacy is a basic human right that empowers individuals to control how their personal information is collected, used, and shared,” he said.
“Strong cybersecurity is essential to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal data. Conversely, robust data protection frameworks help guide effective cybersecurity practices and foster a culture of privacy.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s progress, Dr. Olatunji noted the country’s recent Tier 3 (“establishing”) ranking in the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index and its top position in Africa particularly in the area of data protection. He traced the evolution of Nigeria’s data protection journey, culminating in the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).
He described the NDP Act as the cornerstone of the country’s data governance framework. “The Act regulates the processing of personal data in Nigeria and guarantees the privacy rights of individuals,” he explained.
It applies to both local and international data controllers and processors handling data of Nigerian subjects and provides clear guidelines on data collection, storage, consent, data subject rights, and penalties for non-compliance.
Dr. Olatunji cited the recent ₦766.2 million fine imposed on MultiChoice for non-compliance as an example of the Commission’s enforcement capacity. He also revealed that the NDPC has generated over ₦2 billion in the last two years, with the data protection sector now valued at ₦16.2 billion alongside the creation of numerous job opportunities.
He further highlighted ecosystem growth, citing the certification of 455 Data Protection Officers (DPOs) under the National Certification Program and verification of 3,343 Data Protection Compliance Organizations (DPCOs) by 2025.
While celebrating progress, Dr. Olatunji also pointed to key areas for improvement, including building institutional capacity, enhancing data literacy and workforce development, and strengthening collaboration across sectors.
In conclusion, he urged stakeholders to “embrace a culture of data protection, implement robust cybersecurity practices, and stay attuned to the evolving regulatory landscape” in order to reduce risks, protect assets, and support long-term national growth.
In today’s digital world, QR codes are placed on almost everything – from yogurt containers and restaurant menus to museum exhibits, and even utility bills and parking lots.
People use them to open websites, download apps, collect loyalty programme points, make payments and transfer money, and even for charity donations. The accessible and practical technology is convenient for many, including cybercriminals, who have already rolled out a variety of QR-based schemes.
Kaspersky experts have identified the top security risks when scanning QR codes:
- Phishing and redirection to malicious sites: QR codes can direct users to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal or financial information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. Attackers can impersonate legitimate sites, such as banks or streaming services, and trick users into entering their credentials.
- Malware download: Some QR codes can trigger the download of malicious applications that compromise the security of the user’s device, especially if it is not protected against unauthorised installation.
- Payment fraud: During special events or sales periods like holiday sales, a fake QR code can redirect users to make payments to fraudulent accounts.
- Unsafe automatic connections: A QR code can also automatically connect the user to Wi-Fi networks controlled by cyber attackers, allowing them to intercept their communications.
“QR codes are a fertile ground for potential manipulation, especially as they appear in various everyday contexts such as receipts, flyers, and signage. Attackers have nearly endless possibilities to exploit them.
“As these codes have already become an integral part of our daily lives, it is essential for users to know how to use them safely and responsibly,” says Seifallah Jedidi, Head of Consumer Channel for META at Kaspersky.
In order to not fall for a scam when scanning a QR code, Kaspersky experts recommend:
- Verify the source: Scan QR codes only from trusted and known sources. Avoid scanning codes in public places that may have been tampered with.
- Check the URL: If you really need to scan a publicly available code, verify that the web address it directed you to is legitimate before taking any action on this website.
- Don’t share personal information: Avoid entering sensitive information if you’re not completely sure of the origin of the QR code.
- Protect your digital life: Install a cybersecurity solution with anti-phishing and anti-fraud protection, such as Kaspersky Premium, on all your devices; it will alert you to any danger timely.
Kaspersky is addressing one of the most debatable technological challenges of the coming decade: the rise of quantum computing and its potential impact on digital security.
In this context, experts have identified the main quantum threats that demand immediate action from the cybersecurity community.
As classical computers approach their physical limits, their performance growth is slowing — constraining progress in areas that depend on complex computation.
At the same time, quantum computers offer the potential to solve specific problems far faster than classical systems. For now, however, their practical use remains limited to narrow and experimental domains.
Nevertheless, experts estimate that we may see a fully fault-tolerant quantum computer within the next decade — a development that could unlock significant advances, but also unleash a new era of cybersecurity threats.
Supporting this urgency, Deloitte’s 2024 Global Future of Cyber Survey reports that 83% of organizations are already assessing or taking steps to address quantum computing risks, demonstrating growing awareness and proactive strategies in the private sector.
To better understand the scope of the evolving threat, Kaspersky has identified three of the most urgent quantum-related risks that demand action from the cybersecurity community:
The top three risks:
Quantum computers could be used to compromise the traditional encryption methods that currently protect data in countless digital systems — posing a direct threat to global cybersecurity infrastructures.
Threats include the interception and decoding of sensitive diplomatic, military, and financial communications, as well as the real-time decryption of private negotiations – something quantum systems could handle much faster than classical machines, turning secure conversations into open books.
- Store now, decrypt later: the key threat of the coming years
Threat actors are already harvesting encrypted data today, with the intention of decrypting it in the future once quantum capabilities advance. This “store now, decrypt later” tactic could expose sensitive information years after it was originally transmitted — including diplomatic exchanges, financial transactions, and private communications.
- Sabotage in blockchain and cryptocurrency
Blockchain networks are not immune to quantum threats. Bitcoin’s Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), which relies on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), is especially vulnerable.
Potential risks include forging digital signatures, which threatens Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies; attacks on ECDSA that secure crypto wallets; and tampering with blockchain transaction history, undermining trust and integrity.
- Quantum-resistant ransomware: a new front
Looking ahead, developers and operators of advanced ransomware may begin adopting post-quantum cryptography to protect their own malicious payloads. So-called “quantum-resistant” ransomware would be designed to resist decryption by both classical and quantum computers — potentially making recovery without paying a ransom nearly impossible.
At present, quantum computing does not offer a way to decrypt files locked by current ransomware. Data protection and recovery still rely on traditional security solutions and collaboration among law enforcement agencies, quantum researchers, and international organisations.
Building quantum-safe defenses
Quantum computers are not yet a direct threat — but by the time they are, it may be too late to respond. Transitioning to post-quantum cryptography will take years. Preparations must begin today.
The cybersecurity community, IT companies, and governments must coordinate to address the risks ahead. Policymakers should develop clear strategies to migrate to post-quantum algorithms. Businesses and researchers need to begin implementing new security standards now.
“The most critical risk lies not really in the future, but in the present: encrypted data with long-term value is already at risk from future decryption. The security decisions we make today will define the resilience of our digital infrastructure for decades.
“Governments, businesses, and infrastructure providers must begin adapting now, or risk systemic vulnerabilities that cannot be retroactively fixed,” states Sergey Lozhkin, Head of Kaspersky Global Research & Analysis Team for META and APAC.
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