Aderinola Ololade Dunmade

Background: In the age of algorithmic media, TikTok has become a significant informal learning space for Generation Z, especially in shaping perceptions of ethics, power, and justice. Aims: This study examines how final-year Library and Information Science students at the University of Ilorin engage with TikTok’s “silent curriculum”, a set of implicit and emotionally charged lessons embedded in short video content. Guided by informal learning theory, critical media literacy, and research on algorithmic governance, the study investigates how students interpret and absorb ethical and civic messages encountered on the platform. Methodology: Using qualitative design, 12 active TikTok users reflected on the platform’s educational influence. Data collection was through semi-structured interviews and digital diaries over four weeks. Findings: The students often encounter content related to social justice, mental health, gender identity, and political commentary, commonly communicated through humour, storytelling, and aesthetic trends. These engagements support reflection and awareness, yet they are shaped by algorithmic patterns that promote particular narratives while limiting others. The study shows that TikTok can serve both as a participatory space for civic learning and as a platform where performative ethics and misinformation circulate. For Library and Information Science students, this raises important questions about their future responsibilities as ethical managers of digital content. Conclusion: The paper recommends a redesign of digital literacy approaches to include emotional awareness, ethical judgement, and understanding of platform structures. By centring the perspectives of Nigerian Gen Z students, the study adds to knowledge on how digital platforms act as instructional agents in contemporary civic learning.

This study examined how young Nigerian internet users view social media use and cyberethics. This study included all secondary school-aged female Nigerians from the six geopolitical zones. Thirty-six females aged 13–15, the generation's median age, were chosen from each zone and state. The tool for data collection was an open-ended survey. The results revealed that young women used multiple social media platforms. The characteristics of the various social media platforms which showed minimal text, short videos, and photo-editing filters showed that their peers heavily influenced their use of social media. This study also found that Generation Z females believed that large number of online followers implied a high sense of self-esteem and that any activities that increased followership was acceptable. They also underestimated online risks. Female Gen Z posted sexually suggestive videos online due to peer pressure and the need for peer acceptance, showing a lack of awareness of the consequences of such conduct. The study recommended that schools and all organisations put in place policies to ensure positive use of the Internet. Similarly, the study also recommended modifications of school curricula to include cyberethical awareness. Parenting techniques should also adequately teach societal awareness and the risks of exposing children to early exposure to the Internet.