News2023: FG Hails Meta, Asks Twitter, Others To Stop Spread Of Fake...

2023: FG Hails Meta, Asks Twitter, Others To Stop Spread Of Fake News, Hate Speech

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December 14, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has commended social media giant, Meta on its initiative to combat fake news and hate speech on its platform ahead of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.

Meta had at a recent media roundtable event in Lagos, organised to share the company’s election integrity efforts, said it would be taking aggressive steps to fight the spread of misinformation on its platforms in Nigeria.

Adaora Ikenze, Meta’s Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa, who made this known, had said the company understands how important it is for people to see only accurate information on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.

Speaking at the 12th edition of the ministerial scorecard presentation of the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration (2015-2023), on Wednesday, in Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, insisted that increasing resort to fake news and disinformation by some political actors and a section of the media constitutes a present danger to the success of the election.

The 12th edition had the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Umana and state counterpart, Sharon Ikeazor, present the achievements of the current administration in the Niger Delta to Nigerians.

Mohammed, who said the owners of Meta had outlined concrete actions to check the spread of fake news during the 2023 poll, urged other social media platforms including Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok, to emulate Meta.

He said, “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, during one of our earlier sessions here, I spoke about the dangers posed to the 2023 elections by fake news and disinformation.

“I said the increasing resort to fake news and disinformation by some political actors and a section of the media constitutes a clear and present danger to the success of the elections, just like violence, insecurity, vote buying, attack on INEC facilities, etc.

“In this regard, I want to acknowledge the announcement by Meta, the owners of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, that it will take clearly-outlined steps to protect the integrity of the forthcoming elections.

“Specifically, Meta detailed the actions it plans to take to combat disinformation and to make political advertising more transparent. The company committed to these actions before, during and after the elections.

“This is commendable and it is in line with what we have always said, that the platform owners have a big role to play in checking the spread of fake news, disinformation and hate speech via their platforms.

“Meta has demonstrated a great sense of responsibility and we hope the company will live up to its promise.

“We also urge other platform owners like Google (owners of YouTube and others), ByteDance (owners of TikTok), Twitter and the Telegram Group Inc. (owners of Telegram messenger), to emulate Meta by taking positive steps to prevent the spread of fake news, disinformation and hate speech via their platforms ahead, during and after the 2023 elections.”

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