By Fatima Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the federal government has asked social media platforms, Google and Meta to help pull down all contents which will jeopardize its efforts at conducting free and fair elections in 2023.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed stated this on Friday when he met with officials of the two platforms in Abuja.
Mohammed said that the meeting became necessary having observed the rise in fake news as the 2023 general elections approach.
The Minister expressed concern that social media has been agog with fake news ahead of the 2023 elections.
If left unchecked, the minister said that this could undermine all efforts being made by the country’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the government as well as security agencies in conducting peaceful polls.
“with just 22 days to the elections, there has been a noticeable increase in the use of fake news and disinformation by those who are bent on hindering the success of the elections and throwing the nation into crisis.
“It is no longer news that the use of social media is now a critical factor in national elections, and no nation, including Nigeria, is immune. With a predominantly youthful population, Nigeria ranks among the countries with the highest users of various social media platforms, especially Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
“The use, or misuse, of these platforms is therefore of great concern to all stakeholders in the elections, and that’s why we have invited you here, so we can all jointly work to ensure responsible use of these platforms so that they don’t become the platforms of choice for purveyors of fake news and disinformation.
“These unscrupulous people are resorting to the use of parody accounts, cloning of reputable media platforms, and the use of deep fakes to carry out their nefarious activities,” he said.
Mohammed requested that the two platforms work with the INEC in checkmating false election results during the polls.
This is as it sought increased publicity of content made by government agencies as it concerns the 2023 elections.
On their part, the two platforms pledged to support the government in ensuring peace during the 2023 elections.
The Head of Anglophone West Africa at Meta, Adaora Ikenza disclosed that the firm has already set up an Election Protection Operating Centre.
This center, she said will ensure that contents made on its platforms do not undermine the peaceful conduct of the elections.
Similarly, the Manager, of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google, Dawn Dimowo assured the government that the platform would not condone its misuse by the public during the polls.
