The Federal Government says it is working on how to inject sanity into the social media space, which, it claimed, is totally out of control.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said social media was constituting real danger to the unity of the country.
“What goes on social media is so ridiculous and we will contain it,” the minister said.
Mohammed said since the Federal Government launched its reform of the broadcast industry, many Nigerians had reached out to it, demanding that it also look into how to sanitize the social media space.
“I can assure you that we are also working on how to inject sanity into the social media space which, today, is totally out of control,” he stated.
The minister emphasised that contrary to insinuations, the government had no intention to muzzle the media or stifle free speech, saying the campaign was against fake news and hate speech.
He said only those engaged in disseminating fake news or hate speech needed to be worried “because we will not spare you.”
“We cannot allow fake news and hate speech to become free speech, because these Siamese Twins of Evil are capable of inflicting untold damage on our democracy and threatening our national unity. They represent a clear and imminent danger to our survival as a nation.”
He assured that the planned social media regulation would be in line with international best practices as obtainable in Singapore, the United Kingdom and other countries.
