What FG will do to people who publish fake news - Buhari's media aide reveals 9 crucial facts

The second day of the Social Media Week Lagos (SMWLagos) kicked off on a wonderful note. Legit.ng was on hand at the social media event moderated by Stanley Azuakola which discussed the damage social media is having on truthful news in Nigeria.

President Buhari's adviser on digital media and the head of office of digital engagement, Tolu Ogunlesi was on hand to reveal the following facts about what the presidency plans to do about it.

1. We need to educate people on social media

Speaking on the wrong use of social media in Nigeria, Mr Tolu Ogunlesi emphasized that Nigerians need to be educated on the proper use of social media and the consequences of publishing falshoods on their social media platforms.

2. We don't have a social media policy

Speaking on the federal governemt's social media policy, the aide to Buhari revealed that the government had no firm policy yet, but they were working on a proper policy that would guide government and citizen engagement.

3. Xenopohbia in South Africa

In the same vein of fake news, he said: "Some of the videos been circulated about Xenophobia in South Africa are fake and have nothing to do with South Africa, so we need to be careful."

4. Government regulating social media will bring trouble

Will the government regulate social media? Ogunlesi was of the opinion that it could spell trouble. "We need to regulate ourselves and caution ourselves," he said.

READ ALSO: Exclusive: I do not want to comment on Buhari's call - Presidential aide

5. We need to adapt regulatory laws

The head of digital engagement also said that the regulatory laws on hate speech and libel needed to be modified to suit the rapidly changing social and digital media space of this new age.

6. If someone libels you, go to court

"The laws need to be tested, if someone libels you, take the matter to court," he also urged the audience. If people took their grievances to the law courts in matters of libel and hate speech, it would help curb the damage caused by wrong use of social media.

7. Government is yet to catch up with social media

He also said the government was a bit slow catching up with social media, but soon they would catch up by implementing a social media policy that would guide engagement with citizens.

8. How we will combat fake news

The government plans to work better at releasing news promptly in order to combat fake news in the social media space.

9. Facebook and Google need to penalize people who publish fake news

Speaking on regulating social media, he was of the opinion that self regulation among journalists, bloggers and owners of social media platforms would go a long way to curb the proliferation of fake news.

"Facebook and Google need to penalize people that publish fake news," he concluded.

Watch a video of Nigerians speaking on President Buhari below:

Source: Legit.ng