We need to regulate Nigerians’ activities on social media – Lai Mohammed

Obinwannem News We need to regulate Nigerians' activities on social media - Lai Mohammed

• China has no Google, Facebook, Instagram

The Federal government has asked the National Assembly for help in developing a national policy to checking fake news and disinformation on social media.

Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed made the request in Abuja while backing the 2021 budget proposal for his ministry’s intelligence sector.

Mr. Mohammed, who attended the House of Representatives’ National Orientation and Intelligence Committee, said fake news and disinformation pose a major threat for the country.

The minister answered the commission’s questions on how fake news and disinformation were used to heighten the #EndSARS protest, and what could be done to prevent repetition.

The minister also stressed the need to invest resources in the acquisition of appropriate skills to help governments dominate and control national social media platforms.

“We need a social media policy that will regulate what should be said and posted and what should not. We also need technology and resources to dominate our social media space.

“If you go to China, you cannot get Google, Facebook or Instagram but you can only use your email because they have made sure that it is regulated.

The minister said the government anticipated the risks of fake news and hate speech in 2017.

“We saw as far back as 2017 that the next epidemic that will hit Nigeria and the entire world is fake news and misinformation. Based on that, we dedicated an entire National Council on Information’s meeting to that issue, after which we launched a national campaign against fake news in July 2018.

“We said, then, that the next war will be fought without a shot being fired, but with the use of fake news. We didn’t stop there. We went on a tour of all media houses to solicit their support in the fight against fake news.”

“The campaign was bitterly contested by the stakeholders,’’ he said.

Nwada Ozoemela Chikwas reporting, Obinwannem News

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