The Federal Government has ordered all social media interactive platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok to remove or block access to contents which parades partial or full nudity, sexu@l acts that are non-consensual within 24 hours of users posting them.
The just released Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries (online platforms) has this order.
According to the document, these online platforms are to “act expeditiously to remove, disable, or block access to non-consensual content that exposes a person’s private areas, full or partial nudity, sexu@l act, or revenge porn, where such content is targeted to harass, disrepute, or intimidate an individual.
A said platform must acknowledge the receipt from any complainants and take down the content within 24 hours.”
The Code of practice was announced on Monday by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The Code of Practice also orders these platforms to take down any unlawful content when notified by a user or an authorised government agency. NITDA alongside the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Broadcasting Commission developed the Code of Practice with inputs from these platforms.
Also contained in the Code of Practice; each online platform is to have a country representative who will interface with the Nigerian authorities and platforms with over 100,000 Nigerian users to have an office in Nigeria.They are to register with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a legal entity, comply with tax obligations, abide by regulatory and legal demands, and provide information about users on-demand, among others. NITDA stated that the Code of Practice is intended at safeguarding the fundamental human rights of Nigerians and non-Nigerians living in Nigeria, and to also regulate interactions on these online platforms.