Social media accessibility: Opportunities and challenges for rural communities

Abstract

Social media breaks traditional barriers to human communication and access to information. It has become a global platform for the great and small (rich and poor) to source and share ideas and participate in a citizen-centered society. Social media offer opportunities, and some challenges hamper the accessibility of the platforms. The accessibility of social media platforms is no longer in doubt, but it has become an issue of concern for rural communities, especially those in developing countries. This paper looks into social media accessibility and the opportunities and challenges to define the next step in order to ensure social media accessibility. This paper applied the narrative literature review (NLR) principle to understand the topic and provide the way forward. This paper discovered the need for investment and acceleration of social media accessibility and availability in rural communities to improve empowerment and access to resources.