SIR: The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), recently unveiled a Code of Practice for Online Platforms aimed at regulating the online platforms’ mode of operations to checkmate the eruption of any sort of crisis in the nation’s ICT sector.
The code was developed in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the industry, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), as well as input from Interactive Computer Service Platforms (also known as Tech Giants) such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google, and Tik Tok amongst others.
With rising technological advancement together with the internet, the media has now turned the world into a village where news and information can be transmitted to a large heterogeneous society within the shortest possible time.
Over the years, online social media platforms in Nigeria have been utilized as perfect avenues for disseminating dangerous information capable of compromising national security, threatening the existence of the country as a corporate entity.
Before now, one observes a lack of proper mechanism or legal framework by the government or any other institutions to oversee and regulate the conduct and affairs of international Tech Giants. However, with the novel NITDA’s code of practice, it is apt to say that the situation is on course to change for the better.
It is unfortunate that our public space is continuously being polluted on a daily basis with unwholesome contents capable of heating up the polity. These include but not limited to hate speeches, fake news, misinformation and disinformation and a host of others.
One recalls the prominent role played by social media platforms in aggravating the October 2020 EndSARS protest in Nigeria. Then, lots of fake news and inciting comments circulated freely via Twitter and Facebook. A lot of civilians and security agents were killed, while private and public properties worth billions of Naira were destroyed. Presently, scrolling through the pages of our social media handles leaves one wondering what direction the future of our younger generation faces with footages on how social vices and other forms of crimes can be committed being freely shared.
This intervention by NITDA is timely especially with the approach of 2023 general elections where the social media will be heavily utilized for electioneering campaigns by politicians. It certainly will go a long way in restricting the appearance of contents capable of heating up the polity.
- Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi,
Kano.