Social media regulation in Nigeria
Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, used the #EndSARS protests that call for an end to police brutality by Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), to convince the National Assembly of the need for social media regulation. According to the minister, fake news on social media fueled the protest which lasted over a week and caused the death of 22 policemen and 50 others.
Mohammed quoted the examples of China where Google, Facebook, and Instagram are absent, and Ethiopia where the social media was shut down for two days, following the killing of a musician during an unrest. He said social media promotes fake news so the National Assembly should support previous rejected bills on social media regulation, such as the bill on Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation and the National Commission for the Protection of Hate Speech.
About author
DW Team
The GIP Digital Watch Observatory team, consisting of over 30 digital policy experts from around the world, excels in the fields of research and analysis on digital policy issues. The team is backed by the creative prowess of Creative Lab Diplo and the technical expertise of the Diplo tech team.