Bill criminalizing hate speech passes 2nd reading
Thu Jun 23, 2016 11:12:am Politics
2.6K By Buchi Obichie
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed through second reading, a "bill to protect social media users against hate speech.
Sponsored by Hon. Chukwuemeka Ujam (PDP-Enugu) ,the bill titled: 'Digital Rights and Freedom Bill,' seeks to safeguard and protect the rights of Internet users, accord Nigerians the right to know how data collected from their participation in online systems will be used by any organisation, and protect Internet users from infringement in any form.
The bill would address publishing online content that is capable of defaming and assassinating the character and reputation of persons who have become victims of massive media onslaught, and also ensure free usage of the internet without undue monitoring.
The bill was unanimously passed when the Speaker Yakubu Dogara called for a voice vote and was referred to the Committees on Telecommunications and Human Rights.
The sponsor of the bill, Hon. Ujam, who spoke during the plenary yesterday, stated that the proposed legislation is targeted at ensuring openness, Internet access, affordability and freedom of information online.
According to him, Nigeria lacked a legal framework for the protection of internet users, despite being a subscriber to International Charters which recognise freedom and access to the Internet as a human right, such as the African Union Convention on Cyber-Security and Personal Data Protection of 2014.
In his words, "For the first time in the history of Nigeria and by extension, Africa, offences relating to the ownership of personal data, hate speech online is addressed through the instrumentally of this piece of legislation called the Digital Rights Bill".
Aminu Shagari (APC-Sokoto) and Mohammed Sani Zoro (APC-Jigawa) while supporting the bill, stated that unlike an earlier attempt to regulate the internet by the Senate, the proposed Digital Rights Bill is designed for the protection of persons online.
Sani Zoro especially harped on the need for creating awareness on the details of bill to prevent the public from mistaking it as legislation that will restrict the freedom of internet users in the country.
Sponsored by Hon. Chukwuemeka Ujam (PDP-Enugu) ,the bill titled: 'Digital Rights and Freedom Bill,' seeks to safeguard and protect the rights of Internet users, accord Nigerians the right to know how data collected from their participation in online systems will be used by any organisation, and protect Internet users from infringement in any form.
The bill would address publishing online content that is capable of defaming and assassinating the character and reputation of persons who have become victims of massive media onslaught, and also ensure free usage of the internet without undue monitoring.
The bill was unanimously passed when the Speaker Yakubu Dogara called for a voice vote and was referred to the Committees on Telecommunications and Human Rights.
The sponsor of the bill, Hon. Ujam, who spoke during the plenary yesterday, stated that the proposed legislation is targeted at ensuring openness, Internet access, affordability and freedom of information online.
According to him, Nigeria lacked a legal framework for the protection of internet users, despite being a subscriber to International Charters which recognise freedom and access to the Internet as a human right, such as the African Union Convention on Cyber-Security and Personal Data Protection of 2014.
In his words, "For the first time in the history of Nigeria and by extension, Africa, offences relating to the ownership of personal data, hate speech online is addressed through the instrumentally of this piece of legislation called the Digital Rights Bill".
Aminu Shagari (APC-Sokoto) and Mohammed Sani Zoro (APC-Jigawa) while supporting the bill, stated that unlike an earlier attempt to regulate the internet by the Senate, the proposed Digital Rights Bill is designed for the protection of persons online.
Sani Zoro especially harped on the need for creating awareness on the details of bill to prevent the public from mistaking it as legislation that will restrict the freedom of internet users in the country.
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