by Kingseyi Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:17 pmThe Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji
Lai Mohammed, has appealed to Online
Publishers not to lend their platforms to the
spread of fake news, warning that they stand to
lose credibility if their publications are identified
with fake news.
The Minister spoke during an interaction with
online publishers and social media influencers in
Lagos on Tuesday, in furtherance of the National
Campaign Against Fake News which was
launched by the Federal Government in Abuja 11
July 2018.
”Your credibility, and indeed your source of
livelihood, is at stake. If the society loses
confidence in the media, especially social media,
because of fake news, you will be the worst hit.
And we are very close to that point now.
”Today, nobody knows what to believe anymore.
You read something online, and within a few
hours, it is denied. The fake news epidemic is
spreading fast,” he told the publishers.and the
influencers.
Alhaji Mohammed urged the publishers to lend
their support to the campaign, just like the
traditional media has done, saying: ”A starting
point is for you to put a banner on your various
platforms that says: SAY NO TO FAKE NEWS! Of
course, a platform that abhors fake news will not
engage in one.”
He also appealed to Nigerians to do two simple
things: Before sharing that information on
Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp, ask how
credible the source is, and Don’t share any
information for which you can’t vouch.
”The war against fake news is a must-win. As a
multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation, Nigeria
cannot afford an unbridled spread of fake news.
This phenomenon is exploiting our fault lines to
aggravate the crises in the country,” the Minister
said, adding that the government will neither
resort to coercion nor censorship in the
campaign.
He said the fake news phenomenon has
exacerbated the crises in the country, citing a
recent BBC report that says fake news
circulating in the social media is fuelling the
farmers-herders crises in Nigeria.
”Gory pictures from other lands are circulated
freely via Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter,
purportedly being from the killings in Benue or
Plateau States,” Alhaji Mohammed said.
The National Campaign Against Fake News is
aimed at sensitizing Nigerians to the dangers
posed to the peace and security, democracy,
and indeed the corporate existence of Nigeria by
an unbridled spread of false information.
Lai Mohammed, has appealed to Online
Publishers not to lend their platforms to the
spread of fake news, warning that they stand to
lose credibility if their publications are identified
with fake news.
The Minister spoke during an interaction with
online publishers and social media influencers in
Lagos on Tuesday, in furtherance of the National
Campaign Against Fake News which was
launched by the Federal Government in Abuja 11
July 2018.
”Your credibility, and indeed your source of
livelihood, is at stake. If the society loses
confidence in the media, especially social media,
because of fake news, you will be the worst hit.
And we are very close to that point now.
”Today, nobody knows what to believe anymore.
You read something online, and within a few
hours, it is denied. The fake news epidemic is
spreading fast,” he told the publishers.and the
influencers.
Alhaji Mohammed urged the publishers to lend
their support to the campaign, just like the
traditional media has done, saying: ”A starting
point is for you to put a banner on your various
platforms that says: SAY NO TO FAKE NEWS! Of
course, a platform that abhors fake news will not
engage in one.”
He also appealed to Nigerians to do two simple
things: Before sharing that information on
Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp, ask how
credible the source is, and Don’t share any
information for which you can’t vouch.
”The war against fake news is a must-win. As a
multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation, Nigeria
cannot afford an unbridled spread of fake news.
This phenomenon is exploiting our fault lines to
aggravate the crises in the country,” the Minister
said, adding that the government will neither
resort to coercion nor censorship in the
campaign.
He said the fake news phenomenon has
exacerbated the crises in the country, citing a
recent BBC report that says fake news
circulating in the social media is fuelling the
farmers-herders crises in Nigeria.
”Gory pictures from other lands are circulated
freely via Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter,
purportedly being from the killings in Benue or
Plateau States,” Alhaji Mohammed said.
The National Campaign Against Fake News is
aimed at sensitizing Nigerians to the dangers
posed to the peace and security, democracy,
and indeed the corporate existence of Nigeria by
an unbridled spread of false information.
