Abuja, Feb. 8, 2024 – The Federal Government is planning to regulate the social media to check circulation of fake news.
President Bola Tinubu gave the indication at a public book presentation in Lagos on Thursday.
The book, “Nigerian Public Discourse: The Interplay of Empirical Evidence and Hyperbole,” was written by Babatunde Fashola, the immediate past Minister of Works and Housing,
Tinubu, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, said it was time the existing regulations were reviewed to suit the contemporary situation.
He said that past efforts to review the laws had been unsuccessful, but the government could not afford to allow an era of misinformation through social media.
“Who should be blamed for spreading fake reports through the social media? Is it the purveyor of the fake story or the reader?
“While we need to engage in public discourse, we need to, however, ensure that we base our discussions on facts and empirical data. Unfortunately, we many uninformed people have been relying heavily on social media to engage the public.
“And in most cases, that information has been false. This was why under my leadership as the Speaker of the 9th Assembly, we agreed to get more regulations for the sector.
“Though the work had reached an advanced stage, unfortunately, the social media fought that move to a standstill.
“Now, that we have the 10th Assembly, we hope the honourable members will take it up from where we stopped and follow through on the bill.” (GBN)
