Nnadiebube Journal of Education

The rapid diffusion of digital technology has redefined the moral texture of modern life, influencing the way individuals interact, communicate, and express identity. While social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok, WhatsApp, Telegram have expanded human connection, they have also generated complex ethical challenges ranging from misinformation and cyberbullying to moral disengagement and narcissistic self-presentation. This paper interrogates the relationship between ethics, social media, and online behaviour with emphasis on the African, particularly Nigerian context. Anchored on Social Learning Theory, Technological Determinism, African Communitarian Ethics, and the Ethics of Care. The study adopts a conceptual and integrative review approach, It engages both global and African scholarship to examine how cultural values, technological structures, and moral reasoning shape online conduct. This paper further argues that digital morality must be grounded in relational ethics that reflect both Christian pastoral sensitivity and African communal consciousness. It concludes with pastoral and educational recommendations for promoting ethical digital citizenship among young people in Nigeria universities and the wider Church community.

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