Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration has raised concern over the increasing spread of p0rnography and propaganda on social media platforms in Anambra State.
The Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, made this known at the closing ceremony of a two-day Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Workshop held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Auditorium, Awka.
The workshop, aimed at youths and youth-led organisations across South East Nigeria, was organised by the Media and Information and Inter-cultural Dialogue (MILID) Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO and the Anambra State Ministry of Information.
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Speaking at the event, Mefor expressed concern over the rising number of sexual content in social media skits, stating that such materials are influencing the way people consume information online.
“P0rnography is redefining so much of the social media information being consumed by the people in various social media spaces thereby showcasing the kind of irresponsibility inherent in the people creating such content,” he said.
He urged content creators, particularly youths, to move away from p0rnography and focus on content that addresses critical societal issues. “What MILID Foundation, UNESCO and the Ministry of Information are trying to tell you about media and information literacy is that you owe society some level of responsibility.
It’s true that through such reckless content, you can draw traffic to your social media handles to a point that they may start paying you. Yes, money will come from it but at what cost?” he added.
Mefor also noted that the government is concerned about the kind of content being created and the manner in which it is shared. “Those of us in government in Anambra State are worried about irresponsibility while creating content or putting information out there. We are worried about not only such contents and the recklessness of such exhibition. We are worried about propaganda,” he said.
The commissioner criticised the use of propaganda in politics, stating, “Some people say propaganda is necessary in politics. I don’t think that a government that is doing well needs propaganda. Let facts speak for themselves.
We don’t believe in propaganda here. As the Manager-in-Chief of Information in Anambra State, what we try to do is put out the accurate data/information in every possible way, avoiding propaganda, misinformation, falsification or nuancing of information in a way that you make it look acceptable.”
He called on content creators and social media users to embrace responsibility and honesty in their content, noting that the government is committed to promoting accurate information while discouraging harmful content that undermines social values.