The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has expressed his displeasure against the growing trend of fake news on social media, saying it can result in the next World War.
The minister made the assertion while making an appearance before the House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values to defend his ministry’s 2022 budget allocation on Monday.
According to him, the means of receiving information has changed over the decades, as 30 years ago it was through television and radio sets.
“Information is not what it used to be 20, 30 years ago,” he told the committee.
“The people today, they don’t read newspapers and don’t watch television — it’s social media. And it is most expensive; the most unseen enemy, they are there every moment.
“I have always said that the next world war will be caused by fake news.
“You can see even the US that use to pride itself on the freedom of the press is now questioning the role of the social media,” he added.
Recall that the minister has always been against the spread of fake news.
In February, the minister had said the use of social media in amplifying fake news had become a form of cancer.
At a public hearing in June, Mohammed asked the house of representatives to amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) act to empower the agency to regulate social and online media in addition to other channels of broadcasting.
This was after NBC had asked all social media platforms and online broadcasting service providers operating in Nigeria to apply for a broadcast licence.
In August, Mohammed said the federal government will not rest until social media platforms are regulated.
