2023: FG commends Meta’s position on incoming polls

The Federal Government (FG) has commended Meta, the owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp over their stance to protect the integrity of the 2023 general elections.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made the commendation Wednesday in Abuja at the 12th edition of the President Muhammadu Buhari Scorecard Media Briefing Series, calling on other owners of social media platforms to emulate the gesture.

He said the position of the social media giant is an affirmation of the imperative of the government’s fight to tackle fake news and disinformation.

The Minister, who spoke before the presentation by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Umana, said: “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, during one of our earlier sessions here, I spoke about the dangers posed to the 2023 elections by fake news and disinformation.

“I said the increasing resort to fake news and disinformation by some political actors and a section of the media constitutes a clear and present danger to the success of the elections, just like violence, insecurity, vote buying, attack on INEC facilities, etc.

“In this regard, I want to acknowledge the announcement by Meta, the owners of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, that it will take clearly-outlined steps to protect the integrity of the forthcoming elections.

“Specifically, Meta detailed the actions it plans to take to combat disinformation and to make political advertising more transparent. The company committed to these actions before, during and after the elections.

“This is commendable and it is in line with what we have always said, that the platform owners have a big role to play in checking the spread of fake news, disinformation and hate speech via their platforms.

“Meta has demonstrated a great sense of responsibility and we hope the company will live up to its promise.

“We also urge other platform owners like Google (owners of YouTube and others), ByteDance (owners of TikTok), Twitter and the Telegram Group Inc. (owners of Telegram messenger) to emulate Meta by taking positive steps to prevent the spread of fake news, disinformation and hate speech via their platforms ahead, during and after the 2023 elections.”