Nigeria to require social media platforms to open local offices
ABUJA (Reuters) – On-line platforms like Twitter, Fb and Tiktok will likely be required to register and open workplaces in Nigeria and appoint contact individuals with the federal government, draft rules from the knowledge expertise growth company present.
The code of observe for “interactive pc service platforms/web intermediaries” was meant to curb on-line abuse, together with disinformation and misinformation, the Nationwide Data Know-how Growth Company (NITDA) stated within the rules posted on its web site.
A press release from the company’s spokesperson dated June 13 stated the rules have been developed with enter from Twitter, Fb, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google and TikTok, amongst others.
The platforms are standard in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with greater than 200 million folks.
NIDTA stated the platforms could be required to offer to customers or authorised authorities businesses related data, together with for purposing of preserving safety and public order.
They’d additionally must file annual reviews to NITDA with the variety of registered customers in Nigeria, variety of complaints obtained and content material taken down as a consequence of disinformation and misinformation.
Nigeria earlier this yr lifted a ban on Twitter saying america primarily based firm had agreed to arrange an area workplace amongst different agreements with authorities.
(Reporting by Camillus Eboh, Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Modifying by Kirsten Donovan)
