- Lai Mohammed stresses the need to regulate social media to counter anti-state entities and anarchists, advocating for tighter controls
- He clarifies that the proposal isn’t to suppress freedom of expression but to ensure accountability and responsible conduct
Lai Mohammed, the former Minister of Information and Culture, has emphasized the necessity of regulating social media to counteract anti-state entities and anarchists within the nation.
During the iRepresent International Documentary Festival, held as part of Prof. Wole Soyinka’s 90th birthday celebrations in Lagos, Mohammed stressed the importance of tighter controls on social media platforms. He highlighted the risk of exploitation by individuals seeking to undermine governmental authority and provoke unrest.
Mohammed clarified that his proposal isn’t intended to suppress freedom of expression or silence dissent. Rather, it aims to ensure accountability and responsible conduct on these platforms.
Addressing the unchecked dissemination of misinformation and hate speech, Mohammed urged the government to hold social media companies accountable for allowing misleading content to circulate freely.
He said: “Social media remains the platform of choice for the purveyors of fake news, anti-state groups, anarchists, secessionists, terrorists and bandits. It’s either on Facebook, Instagram, X, etc. With a smartphone and data, people can easily broadcast whatever they want.
“Similarly, through technology and inventions, the challenge has even become exponential through the use of Artificial Intelligence and deep learning techniques to create highly realistic fake or manipulated videos, audio recordings or images.
“These creations often involve superimposing existing images or videos onto other content, making it appear that individuals are saying or doing things they never did. This is era of deepfake!
“There is no doubt that the proliferation of digital media platforms has transformed the landscape of information dissemination worldwide. While these platforms have democratized access to information, they have also provided fertile ground for spreading falsehoods and manipulation. The rapid circulation of misinformation, fueled by algorithms designed to maximize engagement, has led to a crisis of trust in traditional media institutions.
“The consequences of disinformation and misinformation are far-reaching. They undermine democratic processes, sow discord within communities, and pose significant threats to public health and safety. False narratives surrounding elections can trigger legitimacy problems for the winner.
“Conspiracy theories fuel vaccine hesitancy, as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, among other consequences of fake news. The impact of misinformation can be devastating, exacerbating existing fault lines and hindering collective action.”
He, however, cleared the air on why ex-President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration suspended the services of Twitter (now X), stating that the move was to check the nefarious activities of some groups bent on promoting anarchy.
“We were compelled to suspend the services of Twitter, now X, when it became evident that Twitter had yielded its platform to proscribed groups bent on promoting anarchy and destabilizing the country,” he added.