The Centre For Liberty group, CFL, an arm of the Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, has expressed disapproval at the prolonged silence of the 9th Nigerian Senate on the proposed Social Media Bill.
The group, in a statement by the co-covener, Raphael Adebayo says the inaction of the Senate to either kill the Bill or consider better democratic solutions, indicate bad faith on the part of the upper legislative chamber.
He lamented that almost a year after a public hearing was held on the “Protection from Internet Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill,” commonly known as the Social Media Bill, no official report has been made on the public hearing ,neither has the interment of the Bill which was overwhelmingly rejected by the Nigerian people during the public hearing happened.
The CFL said Digital Freedom Advocacy with the support of Voice Nigeria has been able to develop Democratic Solutions to disinformation or Fake News, in a humble effort to show the Nigerian Senate that there are better ways to deal with the global problem, without resorting to penal legislation like the Social Media Bill.
Also Read: Just In: School Resumption: FG says no Covid -19 testing required
The group explained that it is in the interest of the Nigerian people for the Senate to consider the document, as a potential remedial tool for dealing with Fake News and Hate Speech in Nigeria.
It called on the federal Lawmakers to strongly consider the democratic solutions document as a democratic, credible and potential way of addressing the problems of Disinformation and Hate Speech in Nigeria.
(Editor: Abaje Usekwe)
