Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas to reject the recently reintroduced social media regulation Bill, which if passed would unduly restrict the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.
In the letter dated 14 October 2023, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the Bill would criminalise the legitimate and lawful exercise of human rights. It urged them to request the administration of President Bola Tinubu to drop any ongoing efforts to put pressure on Google, YouTube, TikTok and other social media companies to unduly restrict these fundamental human rights.
Recall that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) last week reportedly stated that, one of Nigerias major problems now is social media, and described the social media as a monster.
The organisation said: the social media is neither Nigerias problem nor a monster. Any regulation of it would have arbitrary and excessive effects, and cause incalculable damage, both in material and human rights terms.
SERAP said, Any move to regulate social media would be inconsistent and incompatible with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), and the countrys international human rights obligations. The proposed Bill raises serious concerns about the rights to freedom of expression and privacy, and would lead to digital siege.
The letter read in part: Rather than rushing to pass the social media regulation bill, the National Assembly should encourage the Federal Government to maximise opportunities around social media access, and address the growing social and economic inequalities in the country.
The reintroduction of the social media regulation Bill would lead to deterioration of the human rights situation in the country and carry major economic costs for all sectors, as well as exacerbate social and economic inequalities. It would effectively deepen digital divides in the country and seriously undermine the Tinubu administrations expressed commitment to develop this sector.
We would be grateful if the recommended measures are immediately taken upon the receipt and/or publication of this letter. SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions against the National Assembly and the Federal Government if the social media regulation bill is ever passed into law.
