NCC Backs FG On Restriction Access 

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has backed the Federal Government on its stance on restriction of access to identified content.
NCC said that the restriction of access to specific content which the Federal Government found objectionable was in line with global standards.
The Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Mr Adeleke Adewolu, said this during the  61st Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in Port Harcourt, recently. 
Adewolu said the commission had opted for a middle ground that promotes safe use of digital service platforms without denying citizens the right to free expression as guaranteed in the Nigerian constitution.
This, he said, has nexus with censorship, particularly in tackling illegal and harmful content on over-the-top platforms.
He explained that on technology platforms, censorship manifested in tripartite forms viz: restriction of person-to-person communications; restriction of Internet access generally; or restriction of access to specific content, which governments found objectionable.
The NCC boss said that the restriction was pursuant to constitutional provisions such as those in Section 39(3) of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Quoting from the constitution, Adewolu said, “any law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society to prevent the disclosure of information received in confidence, maintaining the authority and independence of courts or regulating telephony, wireless broadcasting, television or the exhibition of cinematograph films”.
He further explained that the restriction of access to certain content was globally recognised, and pointed out that one of the core responsibilities of government, as enshrined in Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution, was  to safeguard the lives and property of citizens.
On the issue of social media, he said it allowed instant communications without regard for impact or consequences.
“Leading social media platforms have demonstrated a rather unfortunate reluctance to moderate the use of their platforms for subversion and harm. So, we cannot trust them to self-regulate. Self-regulation has not been very effective, and interestingly, the largest platforms are global platforms and many of them are protected by their home governments.
“So, we cannot wholly depend on self-regulation. And while we cannot prevent citizens from freely expressing themselves on these platforms, it would be irresponsible for any government to allow unbridled use of these mediated communications to cause chaos and imperil lives and property. Government must act to protect social cohesion and national security”, he said.
However, he said that the federal commission was adjusting regulatory instruments and management tools to ensure that regulations are fit for the ever-changing telecoms sector.

By: King Onunwor