As an active participant in the tech industry, I have been reading a lot about tech public policies and their potential impact on the growth of tech products. One issue that I feel strongly about is the upcoming 2023 Elections in Nigeria and ways to maintain national peace; post-election.
In October 2020, there was the hijacking of the #EndSARS protests that led to the eruption of violence across major cities, particularly in Lagos. Twitter was identified as one of the major platforms that incited this, leading the Nigerian government to shut it down for several months. The ban was in response to accusations of promoting misinformation and spreading hate speech. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between governments and social media companies over issues of content moderation, free speech, and misinformation.
Indications from the high number of registered voters increased youth participation in the electoral process, and economic hardship faced by citizens, show that Nigerians are determined to make their voices heard in the 2023 elections. Hence, it is crucial that we are proactive in preventing post-election violence, especially given the history of social media activities that may have led to violence in the past.
Why is it important to address social media incited violence?
The Nigerian economy is currently fragile and cannot afford another crisis. Violence incited by social media and government reactions can have a significant and negative impact on the economy in various ways:
- Loss of foreign investment: The ban on social media platforms and negative publicity surrounding social media incited violence in Nigeria can discourage foreign investors from doing business in the country, leading to job and revenue loss.
- Damage to the tourism industry: It can damage Nigeria’s reputation as a tourist destination, resulting in a decline in tourism and loss of revenue for the country.
- Reduced economic growth: it can create a hostile environment for businesses and entrepreneurs, leading to reduced economic growth and fewer opportunities for people to improve their livelihoods.
- Loss of revenue for digital service providers: The ban on social media platforms can lead to a loss of revenue for internet service providers, digital marketing companies, and other businesses that rely on social media for their revenue.
- Cybercrime: The use of social media for cybercrime, such as scam, fraud, and identity theft can also have a negative impact on the economy by discouraging investment and trade, and creating a perception that the country is unsafe for business.
- Inability to access information: It can also limit access to information and inhibit people’s ability to make informed decisions, which can be harmful to the economy.
- Overall, social media incited violence can have a significant and negative impact on the Nigerian economy, emphasizing the importance of taking steps to prevent and address it.
Will proactive policies be sufficient to prevent social media incited violence during the upcoming elections?
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has drawn a Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/ Internet Intermediaries in an effort to mitigate the effects of social media violence. However, as Zeenat O. Sambo points out, the success of this code of practice relies on the collaboration of NITDA and platform owners to ensure compliance. It remains to be seen if NITDA will fully implement and enforce this code of practice and if it will be enough to prevent potential social media incited violence in the upcoming elections.
