DSS, INEC Call For New Legislation To Curb Fake News

The Department of State Services (DSS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have said a new legislation is required to curtail fake news syndrome in the country.

Speaking at a two-day conference on “Combating Misinformation and Disinformation in Nigeria,” DSS Spokesperson, Dr. Peter Afunanya, expressed concern over the growing circulation of fake news through the social media in the country.

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Afunanaya raised the concern at an event organized by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Abuja.

He said: “Why don’t’ we begin to look at the issue of legislation,” says Dr. Peter Afunanya, the DSS Public Relations Officer (PRO).

“In Japan, for instance, and some other countries, there is a common agreement by convention, even by legislation, their media do not report terrorism because, terrorist feed on publicity. Once you cut the oxygen of publicity, they become disinterested in their actions,” he said.

“why the average reporter or journalist takes interest in announcing the number of soldiers killed in a combat and they would not find it reasonable to announce how terrorist and Boko Haram members have been attacked, because he is afraid Boko Haram people would come and attack him…” he queried.

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The DSS spokesperson cited previous false reports on the deaths of Shiites leader, Ibrahim El Zakzaky, the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, as one of the ways fakes news affects operations of the Service.

Speaking further, Afunanya noted that absolute law and absolute privilege don’t exist anywhere except for absolute responsibility.

“There are rights to demonstrations and protests, yes, but there are no absolute rights. You claim the right to freedom of movements but if there is a lawful curfew, that right of movement is restricted. Even rights to life, we do not have the right to take our lives not to talk of others. Understanding all of these will help us to be responsible citizens,” the DSS spokesman said.

Speaking also, INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, lamented how fake news has impacted negatively on the Commission’s conduct of elections.

“I join the idea of the past speakers who called for legislation to regulate fake news,” he stated.

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In their remarks, CDD’s Idayat Hassan and Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Garba Abari, said proper implantation of existing laws on cyber-security and penal codes would help curb fake news menace to a considerable  extent.

They however noted that it would be difficult to gag the social media.

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