The public hearing of the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation bill (2019) held at the National Assembly appeared to have made the bill suffered a monumental defeat following its rejection by a larger percentage of participants at the hearing. The bill has scaled through the second reading at the Senate despite the public outcry that greeted its introduction.
The bill, according to its sponsor, Senator Mohammed Musa, in his lead debate, proposes a framework and system of regulation, control, and conduct on the use of the internet and various social platforms in the transmission of information in Nigeria.
“The bill is not an attempt to stifle free speech or dissenting views; it is rather an opportunity to address a growing threat which, if left unchecked, can cause serious damage in our polity and disrupt peaceful coexistence.” Senator Musa had said while defending the bill at the floor of the Senate.
He stated that as much as the internet has numerous benefits, it is also used to manipulate information and spread falsehoods.
However, the amount of criticism that greeted the introduction of the bill was re-enacted when it was thrown up for public hearing at the National Assembly, Senator Musa’s proposal to bring government regulation to social media looks headed for the dustbin of history.
The Nigerian senator was more or less a lone voice in the defense of his social media bill as testimonies from civil society organizations, government agencies, and private citizens were louder than the support the Senator gathered from representatives of the Nigerian Army and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.
Why the Bill Was Rejected
Many stakeholders, including the representatives of the Nigerian Communications Commissions (NCC), Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) stated that the bill is a mere duplication of existing laws that had already been used to addressing some of the fears raised by Senator Musa.
According to the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Umar Garba Danbatta, “certain provisions of the bill are difficult to implement as it gives unconscionable power to the Police to be the judge and jury of proper internet content.
On his part, a journalist cum activist, Omoyele Sowore, stated that the protection from internet falsehoods is intended for the benefit of political leaders, not the general public.
“Is something false because the government does not like it or is it false because nobody wants to accept that it is true?” Sowore asked rhetorically. The curious naming of the bill is a branding goal aimed at shielding the government from public criticism, he said.
A candidate in Nigeria’s 2019 presidential elections, Sowore was recently released on bail by the Nigerian government. He’s been accused of inciting revolution against the state, social media and his website are the alleged principal vehicles of his propaganda.
Also, the representative of the Centre for Democracy and Development, Shamsudeen Yusuf noted that if passed into law, the social media bill will empower the Police to ‘command internet shutdown’.
What happens next?
“This is a private member bill,” Michael Opeyemi, the chairman of the Senate committee on judiciary, human rights, and legal matters, clarified after testimonies. The Senate has not taken a position on the bill as there are senators for and against the bill.
“We will consider all of this and advise the senate based on our findings after the consideration of all preponderance of opinion written and expressed,” Opeyemi said. “We will go by what we see as the overriding public interest.”
