Connect with us

News

LAI MOHAMMED TO JOURNALISTS: Lead campaign against hate speech

Published

on

How farmers/herdsmen crisis affected governance - Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has urged the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to lead the government ongoing plans to rid the social media of fake news and hate speech.

He said the NUJ and other media professional bodies should take the lead in sanitizing the social media space because they would be the first victim if we allow hate speech and fake news to thrive on social media.

He stated these on Monday when he received the national executive of the NUJ led by its President, Chris Isiguzo during a courtesy visit to his office.

He added that it was in the interest of the NUJ and other media bodies to be in the vanguard of the campaign against hate speech and fake news.

Read also: Hate speech bill has no connection with 3rd term agenda – Senate

The minister said: “As a matter of fact, the NUJ and other media professional bodies should take the lead in sanitizing the social media space, because they will be the first victim when the people lose confidence in the media due to the reckless actions of non-journalists and purveyors of fake news and hate speech.”

There has been growing opposition against a bill on hate speech, which recently passed first reading at the National Assembly. The fear has been that the bill was a plot by the government to stifle free speech.

But Mohammed said the plan by the Federal Government to regulate social media is not aimed at gagging journalists or stifling free speech.

He said “only the purveyors of fake news and hate speech need to be worried.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now