Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, have been urged to “reject the recently reintroduced social media regulation bill.”

In a statement on Sunday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said that the passage of the bill “would unduly restrict the rights to freedom of expression and privacy,” and urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to stop its efforts to compel technological firms like Google and YouTube to restrict such “fundamental human rights.”


The group’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, believes the bill would “criminalise the legitimate and lawful exercise of human rights.”

Warning that the passage of the bill “would unduly restrict the rights to freedom of expression and privacy,” the group asked President Bola Tinubu’s administration to stop its efforts to compel technological firms like Google and YouTube to restrict such “fundamental human rights.”

The statement read, “The National Broadcasting Commission last week reportedly stated that, “one of Nigeria’s major problems now is social media,” and described social media as “a monster.”

“In the letter dated 14 October 2023, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “social media is neither Nigeria’s problem nor a monster. Any regulation of it would have arbitrary and excessive effects, and cause incalculable damage, both in material and human rights terms.

“Any move to regulate social media would be inconsistent and incompatible with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.”

“The reintroduction of the social media regulation bill would lead to deterioration of the human rights situation in the country and carry major economic costs for all sectors, as well as exacerbate social and economic inequalities.”

Rufai useni, arise tv, Jackson ude, Daniel bwala, shaibu phrank, David and illiterate Obidients won't like this biil at all . They are all good at fake news and defamations

yarimo:
Rufai useni, arise tv, Jackson ude, Daniel bwala, shaibu phrank, David and illiterate Obidients won't like this biil at all . They are all good at fake news and defamations

. Shut up there! Anti-truth. You forgot to mention Keyamo the certified mischief maker and fans news merchant

As for me, I will support the introduction of that bill because it is worrisome the way people abuse social media this days. Fake news has done more damage than good to people's mental state and the country's reputation.

tooth4tooth:
As for me, I will support the introduction of that bill because it is worrisome the way people abuse social media this days. Fake news has done more damage than good to people's mental state and the country's reputation.

Somebody went on Social Media to order this during Endsars

The Bill is highly needed

i laugh in swahili
akpabio the dummy senate President
just as buhari will be better than tinubu lawan will be better than akpabio.

yarimo:
Rufai useni, arise tv, Jackson ude, Daniel bwala, shaibu phrank, David and illiterate Obidients won't like this biil at all . They are all good at fake news and defamations

So says Yarimo, whose community only have radios that is perpetually tuned to BBC Hausa.

Stick to BBC Hausa, so you won't hear fake news and defamations.

The fake news flying around on Nigeria social media space is too much, the bill is needed.