CDD reels out alternatives to Senate’s Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill 2019
- The social media bill is still causing ripples in society
- Nigerians are united in the rejection of the bill which they say is draconian and an attempt to gag free speech
- The Centre for Democracy and Development has reeled out alternatives to the controversial bill
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has again reiterated its outright rejection of the “The Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill 2019 (SB 132)” popularly referred to as the ‘Social Media Bill.’
The CDD stated that the attempt to gag the social media space will not be tolerated.
The centre condemned the content of the bill and described the Senate’s move as an attempt to ensure that there is an amalgamation of power into the hands of a few individuals who would gag the media space and ensure that only information they deem fit to be made public.
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The CDD warned that in a democratic system as it is operated in Nigeria, the government must not only police itself but also allow the people who have elected them into power the obligation to do the same.
“The ambiguous bill which targets the disabling of access by end-users will block access orders and interfere with business operations of sprouting SMEs in Nigeria.
“Considering that Nigeria currently battling insecurity, access blocking orders could deter online intelligence gathering through both blocking internet access and possibly stimulating the development of an online information black market.
“Also, the bill provides for subjective judgement as to whether the transmission of false statements of fact is likely to incite feelings of enmity, hatred towards a person or ill-will between groups of persons.
“While the centre appreciates the essence and use of social media among many Nigeria youths in educating, disseminating knowledge, keeping the citizens informed and shaping public discourse in Nigeria, CDD can boldly say that the social media space has become a critical tool for shaping public discourse where many Nigerians seek to harness the positive impact of social media,” the group said in a statement on Monday, March 9.
The CDD urged the Senate to understand that social media with over 29.3 million users across Nigeria is here to stay.
The CDD made a list of recommendations that could be adopted by the Nigerian Senate to handle issues surrounding the use of social media in Nigeria.
They are:
1. Demand-side (end-user) interventions
In focusing on those who produce and distribute disinformation, the Bill represents a supply-side intervention. However, given the decentralized nature of disinformation’s production, a supply-side intervention amounts to cutting the head off a hydra. A robust response would consider interventions to bolster the end-user’s ability to critically engage with and judge the veracity of information. The demand for disinformation is driven by the psychology of news consumption and opinion formation.
2.Fake-news-proofing platform algorithms
Disinformation is inadvertently fueled by the algorithms that sort search results and the feeds or docking pages of many social media platforms. While the specific features that form the weights of the algorithms are typically unknown, it is evident that more popular posts or results are more likely to be prominently displayed. Unfortunately, fake news posts are often designed to “go viral” with the aim of appearing on as many people’s feeds as possible. But social media platforms and search engines may not have incentives to introduce adjustments to these algorithms on their own; popularity does drive engagement, and engagement is the core of their business models.
3. Accreditation for content creators
In one of CDD’s key informant interviews on the issue of fake news, a senior member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) suggested accreditation of online content creators under their auspices. The official asserted that many of their extant processes for dealing with journalists could benefit online content creators without great modification, including training in norms of ethical journalism and peer-driven sanctions for breaking those norms. This arrangement would also enable the government to deal with the NUJ as the representative for online content creators.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly on Monday, March 9, commenced public hearing for the social media bill.
Among those at the chamber for the hearing were Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, human rights activists, heads of media outfits, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
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Social media bill: Protest erupts as lawmakers begin public hearing | Legit TV
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