Controversial Social Media Bill

Recently proposed in Nigeria's parliament is a controversial piece of legislation: the social media bill. Last week, the social media bill advanced through the Nigerian Senate. The bill stipulates that police has the authority to "arrest people whose posts are thought to threaten national security, sway elections, or diminish public confidence in the government". Those who violate the regulation incur the risk of having their Internet access cut off. Although the bill certainly has an aim to protect citizens from "fake news", many Nigerians are opposed to its incorporation. In fact, an online petition to stop the bill has already amassed over 70,000 signatures.

Pictured above is a recent demonstration by Nigerian activists who are protesting the bill. Many Nigerians worry that the bill intends to suppress one's freedom of speech and expression. They worry that giving law enforcement agencies the right to shut down internet at any time is too much power. Supporters of the bill argue that the bill is not an attempt to stifle free speech- instead, "it is an opportunity to address growing threats in [Nigeria] that could disrupt peaceful coexistence". Nigeria already has regulations prohibiting libel and slander, so the social media bill would essentially add another layer of censors into law. 

Bibliography:

Paquette, Danielle. “Nigeria's 'Fake News' Bill Could Jail People for Lying on Social Media. Critics Call It Censorship.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 25 Nov. 2019, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/nigerias-fake-news-bill-could-jail-people-for-lying-on-social-media-critics-call-it-censorship/2019/11/25/ccf33c54-0f81-11ea-a533-90a7becf7713_story.html.