The role of internet memes in modern communication

In recent times, almost every trending issue in Ghana is accompanied by internet memes.

For example;

You may have seen a lot of these on the internets; they are memes, predominantly funny online images, videos and texts that become viral through a collective process of sharing, imitation and remixing.

The widespread adoption of internet memes as a form of online communication is transforming the way information is shared and consumed among internet users.

“The broader conversation around memes is satire and parody and satire out of which memes come from, sometimes play on things that we find funny anyway. We suspect that this is ongoing, or this is something that people will laugh about then we use the opportunity to pass it through…” Team Lead for Fact-Check Ghana, Kwaku Krobea Asante explains.

Memes, with their ability to convey complex ideas and emotions in a concise and humorous manner, have become a popular medium for expressing various ideas, particularly among social media users. There are memes for everything and on anything, but why the growing interest in memes among internet users?

“I used to watch people’s statuses and they used to post funny, funny memes and I got interested in it because it was very funny and always made me laugh. The way it’s funny and how it relates to me.” – Jemima, internet meme user told 3News.

Another internet meme user, Mary Sowonu argued that “sometimes, when you are sad and then you are going to someone’s status or even any social media platform then you see those things, you begin to smile. So that’s how I got attached to it and then I do often post them on my social media platform, so that I can brighten up someone’s day.”

However, the persuasive power of memes combined with their ability to spread faster, have also made them a potential channel for the spread of fake news and misinformation.

Media Literacy Advocate and a Research Analyst at the University of Media, Arts and Communication, Mr. Stephen Tindi contends that “memes are one of the mechanisms through which people create and sustain information disorder. I mean they use memes or humorous images and the kind to peddle false information. So, it’s something that has come to our attention.”

Despite their susceptibility to misinformation, Mr. Tindi believe memes can equally be used as a marketing tool for promotion.

“The good news is that those doing ‘serious’ communication can also rely on memes to spread their information. For example, nothing stops you after reading a very long lengthy speech to take bits and pieces of it to create forms of communication that are easily understandable,” he asserted.

But, Team Lead for Fact-Check Ghana, Kwaku Krobea Asante wants such memes to be shared with caution. He said “we need to be careful when it sustains negative narratives, sometimes even misinformation and disinformation. But clear hate speech, running funny adverts on the back of tribal tropes, gender tropes and stuff like that should be avoided in the name of sharing memes.”

While internet memes offer a creative and engaging way to communicate online, their potential to misrepresent certain facts remains a significant concern.

As Ghana approaches the December 7th general elections and with calls to combat fake news, it is crucial for the general public to share internet memes responsibly and verify information before spreading it.

The post The role of internet memes in modern communication first appeared on 3News.

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