Metro
IPC condemns northern governors’ call for social media censorship
The International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos has condemned the call for social media censorship by Northern States Governors following a forum with Northern States Emirs and Chiefs in Kaduna.
Governors of the northern states in the country had called for social media censorship in Section 5 of the resolution of their meeting, stating that, “The meeting took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news. Therefore, calls for major control mechanism and censorship of the social media practice in Nigeria.”
Read also: IPC decries detention without trial of journalist Tom Oga
But Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said that social media censorship will violate the rights guaranteed by the constitution, the right of free expression, the right to privacy, and the right to know, among others. He further said, it will also violate press freedom.
Arogundade in a statement by IPC Program Officer/ Safety Desk Officer, Melody Lawal, said “It is important to note that, there are existing laws to deal with unwholesome use of the internet, such as the Cyber Crime Act.
“Nigerians already rejected the social media bill before the Senate and it would be unacceptable to return it through the backdoor, Mr. Arogundade said.”
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