The Nigerian government has raised fresh concerns over the operations of major social media platforms, warning that Facebook, TikTok and X could face sanctions, including a possible ban, over growing cases of privacy violations linked to viral content.
The warning comes from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which says the unchecked rise of street interviews, prank videos and “vox pop” content is increasingly infringing on citizens’ rights.
In a strongly worded statement, the Commission condemned the practice of content creators recording unsuspecting Nigerians in public and publishing such footage online without consent.
According to the NDPC, such actions violate the right to privacy guaranteed under Section 37 of Nigeria’s Constitution, as well as provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023).
“The attention of the Commission has been drawn to individuals who take pictures and video footage of unsuspecting members of the public and share them on social media,” the statement said. “These acts violate the rights of citizens to informational self-determination.”
The Commission specifically referenced the growing trend of roadside interviews in cities like Lagos, where individuals are approached without prior notice, recorded, and later featured in edited videos that are widely circulated online.
In many cases, participants are unaware their images will be shared publicly, sometimes leading to embarrassment, reputational harm, or emotional distress.
Another concern highlighted is the increasing use of prank content, where individuals are deliberately misled or provoked for entertainment purposes, with such encounters often streamed live or uploaded across multiple platforms.
The NDPC stressed that processing personal data, including images and videos requires clear consent, except where justified by lawful grounds, which it says are largely absent in such cases.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that this wilful invasion of privacy serves neither public nor legitimate interest,” the Commission added.
As part of its directive, the NDPC has now ordered platform owners, including Meta Platforms, TikTok, and X, to strengthen enforcement of their community guidelines to prevent harmful and unlawful content.
It warned that failure to act promptly could attract regulatory penalties under Nigerian law.
“For the avoidance of doubt, where a platform owner fails or neglects to act timeously in addressing harms, the Commission will not hesitate to impose appropriate sanctions,” the statement said.
The development has sparked fears of a potential repeat of the 2021 suspension of Twitter in Nigeria — now known as X, which lasted over seven months.
The platform was banned on June 5, 2021, after it deleted a post by former President Muhammadu Buhari, citing a violation of its rules. The Nigerian government responded by accusing the platform of undermining national stability.
The ban was eventually lifted in January 2022 after the company agreed to register locally, pay taxes, and comply with government regulations.
Since then, authorities have repeatedly warned that other platforms could face similar action if they fail to align with Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework.
More recently, Meta Platforms has also faced regulatory scrutiny, including reports of significant fines tied to compliance issues.
With the NDPC’s latest directive, analysts say Nigeria may be entering a new phase of stricter digital regulation, one that could significantly impact how content is created and shared across social media platforms.