“Deliberately Posting False Stories Is Unacceptable” – Keyamo Supports Social Media Bill

The Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Mr Festus Keyamo has declared support for the controversial social media bills, saying no one should be allowed to post false information online in the name of free speech.

Keyamo stated this in a series of tweets on Monday, December 2, 2019, while reacting to the outcry of Nigerians over the controversy surrounding hate speech and social media bills in Nigeria.

The minister took a swipe at those condemning the bill and asked them to unblock and apologise to those who irritated them with insults.

Those so-called overnight Social Media ‘activists’ who oppose the Social Media Bill should first stop blocking those who irritate them with insults, unblock all those they have blocked and apologise to them. You can’t be intolerant and ask others to be. Practice what you preach.

— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) December 2, 2019

Although the minister did not support the death penalty for hate speech, he insisted that posting false information on social media was dangerous for the nation.

Some cannot differentiate the Social Media Bill from the Hate Speech Bill. Whilst no reasonable person will support death sentence for hate speech, you can’t come online to say something totally untrue that can put other lives in danger without some kind of penal consequence

— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) December 2, 2019

Keyamo noted that the real agitation should be for parliament, in line with S.36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, to clearly define the types of false and insensitive posts that would attract penal consequences, so that government does not abuse it.

The real agitation should be for Parliament, in line with S.36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, to clearly define the TYPES of false & insensitive posts that would attract penal consequences, so that govt doesn’t abuse it. But to leave everyone to just post ANYTHING is unacceptable

— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) December 2, 2019

He stressed that there should be some penal consequences for those who deliberately go online to post false stories under the umbrella of freedom of speech.

Civil suits on Defamation of character only take care of PERSONAL INSULTS. I don’t subscribe to punishment for that. But you cannot come online to deliberately post false stories, in the guise of ‘freedom of speech’, that can set the nation ablaze without some penal consequences

— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) December 2, 2019

Bills seeking to regulate social media and prescribe capital punishment for hate speech, recently introduced in the senate have caused debate among Nigerians.

Many say it is an attempt to silence the media and suppress freedom of speech.