Since the news of a bill to regulate the online space emerged, a lot of Nigerians both young and old have been clamouring against it. The impassioned reactions towards this Social Media Bill intensified when it was announced that it had passed the second reading on the Senate floor.
Read more on the Social Media Bill
The bill, ‘Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill‘ is being championed by Sen. Mohammed Sani Musa. It passed the second reading on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, and from all indications, there is a strong likelihood of it being passed into law.
The Social Media Bill is expected to curb the spread of falsehood and manipulation of unsuspecting users. If it becomes an act, anyone found guilty will pay a fine of N300,000 and corporate bodies who are found guilty of willfully spreading fake news that appears to threaten national security will be fined a sum of N10 million.
While the bill was up for debate on the floor of parliamentary, only Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu East) spoke against it. So far, the senators who have championed it include Ibrahim Gobir, Abba Moro and Elisha Abbo.
Since news of the bill emerged, Nigerians on Twitter have not taken it lightly. From celebrities to influencers to civil groups, many have expressed their views on the implications such a bill will have if passed into law.
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