FG Sets To Collaborate With Google To Tackle Hate Speech, Disinformation On Social Media Channels -Lai Mohammed
The Federal Government of Nigeria seeks to collaborate with Google to curb the excesses of subversive YouTube channels which are used to spread hate speech and disinformation against the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stated this when a team from Google visited him in Abuja on Thursday, expressed delight that both the Federal Government and Google shared the same concern on the responsible use of Social Media.
“We want Google to look into how to tackle the use of private and unlisted YouTube channels and YouTube live streams by proscribed groups and terrorist organizations. Channels and emails containing names of proscribed groups and their affiliates should not be allowed on Google platforms,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed, who noted that Google is a platform of choice for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), he implored the tech giant to deny IPOB the use of its platform for its acts of violence and destabilization.
He said Nigerians are among the most vibrant social media users in the world, with over 100 million Internet users in the country, and that internet platforms such as Google, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and WhatsApp enable Nigerians to interact, share ideas, earn a living and participate in social and political affairs.
The Minister however observed that those platforms are also used by unscrupulous persons or groups for subversive and nefarious activities.
In his remarks, Google Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Mr Charles Murito, said the platform has introduced a programme called “Trusted Flaggers” for citizens trained to track and engage with online content in order to flag the contents of serious concern.
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“As I mentioned earlier, we share the same sentiments, we share the same goals and objectives and we do not want our platform to be used for ill purposes,” he said.
On his part, Google Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager, Mr Adewolu Adene, said “Equiano”, a subsea cable which recently berthed in Nigeria from Portugal, is aimed at enhancing connectivity and access to the internet as well as driving down the cost of data, in order to create jobs and facilitate the transfer of knowledge.
“I pledged the readiness of Google to work with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to digitize the recently-repatriated artefacts” Mr Adene stated.
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