Development, Sunday Dare
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday
Dare, says during the #EndSARS protests held across the country,
fake news was widely spread through social media.
The Minister, who disclosed this on Monday, during an interview
on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, said the
question of fake news is bothersome not only in Nigeria but every
part of the world.
“The protests brought home the dangers of fake news. Several
months back, Nobel Laureate Winner, Professor Wole Soyinka said
fake news is like the bomb that can destroy the world and it is
sure that the bomb will come from Nigeria.
“What happened during the protests has been reviewed to a
certain extent. We have seen debunking of several of the stories of
deaths that came up.
“Everyone is worried about the negative impacts of fake news,”
he said.
The Minister added that every country is dealing with fake news
and in Nigeria, the National Assembly will do justice to the
proposed regulation of social media to guard against the spread of
fake news.
“The talk around regulation, of course, we have a National
Assembly, it will have to go through the normal process. We have a
constitution, they will have to make sure it does not violate
certain provisions of the constitution that has to do with freedom
of expression.
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“Where you have fake news destroying lives, the government has a
responsibility to make sure that there is a level of control. It is
not censorship but some level of control,” the minister stated.
Dare added that the Federal Government had the option of
shutting down the social media space during the #EndSARS protests
but chose not to tread the path.
“Everyone one of us benefits from the internet. The fact that
our youths used it to mobilise is commendable.
“But the talk about the regulation of social media has been
around for a while. We’ve seen other countries taking practical
steps in that direction, this country has not done that.
“Even during the #EndSARS protests, the country had an option.
The country never went for that final option,” he added.
The Minister said the fact the Federal Government did not shut
down cyberspace enabled people to connect themselves through their
social media platforms.
According to him, this shows a government that is committed to
the rights of freedom and association of every citizen of this
country.