Afrigather Blended reactions have adopted the renewed name for the regulation of social media by Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of employees to President Bola Tinubu, saying it has change into a societal menace.
Gbajabiamila expressed this view whereas representing Tinubu on the public presentation of a ebook titled “Nigerian Public Discourse: The Interaction of Empirical Proof and Hyperbole,” authored by Babatunde Fashola, former minister of works and housing, in Lagos.
The assertion, issued by Tunde Alao, the senior particular assistant to Governor Babajide Sa’
nwo-Olu (Media), Workplace of the Lagos State Deputy Governor, quoted Gbajabiamila as emphasising the potential risks of disseminating info globally by social media.
The assertion highlighted Tinubu’s dedication to evidence-based dialogue and data-reliant decision-making for coverage formulation and execution. Gbajabiamila careworn the federal government’s obligation to make sure shared settlement on fact and actuality in engagements with residents.
“The social media has change into a societal menace and should be regulated. As many individuals don’t perceive that when the ship button is hit, there’s a potential to succeed in hundreds of thousands of individuals around the globe which is able to inflicting an awesome hazard not simply within the society however even unintended penalties to the people which are receiving info which can embody safety of life,” the assertion quoted Gbajabiamila as saying.
Notably, in October 2023, the Socio-Financial Rights and Accountability Undertaking urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the Home of Representatives, to reject a reintroduced social media regulation invoice. SERAP argued that the invoice might unduly prohibit freedom of expression and privateness rights and referred to as on Tinubu’s administration to halt efforts compelling technological corporations to limit elementary human rights.
Nonetheless, many Nigerians have reacted to the assertion made by the chief of employees to the president. Whereas some recommended him, others roundly condemned him.
Reacting to the event of his X account, a authorized practitioner, Festus Ogun, stated, “What once more is there to be ‘regulated’ after the enactment of the Cybercrimes Act? Freedom of expression is at all times underneath menace underneath a corrupt and autocratic regime.”
One other consumer, Nicholas Ibekwe, stated, “These guys are so relentless in stripping you of your freedom to name them out. That’s what that is about. In case you see it every other approach, you’re being insincere.”
“You want first to manage your primitive accumulative tendencies, regulate your bogus wage and allowances, regulate your unproductivity which is straight linked to the struggling of the individuals earlier than you ponder regulating social media,” Kingsley Maximo stated.
Agreeing with the assertion, one other consumer, Shakirat Oluwatosin Raji, stated, “I agree. And the Cyber Crime Act must be simpler.”
“You may make arguments for/towards this. All of it will depend on the content material of the regulation.
Nonetheless, I believe individuals ought to face civil legal responsibility or social media lawsuits. In case you publish defamatory statements or materials misstatement of information towards somebody, it’s best to face the results of your actions when you refuse to withdraw such statements.
We see far too many slanders and false statements on social media. However, if we’re bantering soccer, abeg go away us alone,” one other X consumer, Enwagboso, stated.
