A proposed law popularly known as Anti-Social Media scaled second reading in the Nigeria Senate on Wednesday.
The proposed law entitled: “The Internet Falsehood and Manipulations and Other Related Matter Bill” was sponsored by Senator Muhammed Sani Musa from Niger State.
Musa said the aim of the bill was to provide “framework and system of regulation, control and conduct in relation to the use of the internet and its intermediaries in the transmission of information in Nigeria.
The bill which was read for the first time on Tuesday 5th November, 2019.
The bill enjoyed tremendous support from the lawmakers.
Senator Isiaku Abboh(PDP), Adamawa State) who was seen in a video that went viral on the social media last July allegedly assaulting a woman in a sex toy shop in Abuja was one of the quickest lawmakers to speak in support of the bill; stressing the need for Nigeria to regulate the social media.
“If not regulated, it (Social Media) m will consume all of us”, he said.
Senator Abbah Moro (Benue South) who came under heavy attack on the social media for immigration recruitment scandal in March 2014 then as Minister of Interior also supported in very strong terms the proposed law.
This was as Senator Ibn Na’Allah who came under serious public criticism after he introduced a similar bill to regulate the social media last year; backed the bill which he said had vindicated his early position on controlling the social media.
Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (PDP Enugu East) however kicked hard against the bill arguing that it was a duplication of other extant laws that had taken care of issues if defamation, cyber crime and cyber stalking it hopes to address.
The bill subsequently scaled second reading and referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Legal Matters and Human Rights for further legislative work.
The committee has four weeks to complete the assignment.
