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Why social media, online media platforms must be regulated – Amosun

Senator Ibikunle Amosun

Published By: Ayorinde Oluokun

By Adejoke Adeleye/ Ogun

Former Ogun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has urged relevant agencies to save journalism from quacks and emergency reporters who are fond of publishing fake, subjective and unbalanced news.

Amosun made the appeal on Thursday while delivering his speech as the Chairman of the 6th-anniversary lecture of Penpushing Media held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

The former Senator who represented Ogun Central at the 9th Senate in 2019-2023 emphasized on the necessity for online and social media regulation in order to distinguish the sincere from the dishonest whose promoters most times are faceless to prevent them from destroying the reputation of the profession.

Amosun, who acknowledged the importance of the media in shaping public opinion, establishing agendas for good governance, and socioeconomic development, maintained that the media, especially online platforms, must act with extreme caution and a strong sense of responsibility.

He said “ As essential as the roles of the media and its practitioners are in our society, especially in shaping the opinions and setting agenda for good governance, national cohesion, communal harmony, and socio-economic development, it is of utmost importance that the media, particularly online platforms, must do so with circumspection and deep sense of responsibility.

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“ This trend is fast becoming a new normal and has continued unabated in our society. As we are in this hall today, several online media platforms are launching into the air waves, publishing stories without any restraints or recourse to the core journalistic values of Objectivity, Balance, and Professionalism.

“ This is a challenge to media practitioners to come up with a self-regulatory framework, in conjunction with the relevant bodies, in other to save journalism from the grip hands of quacks and “emergency reporters” who are fond of publishing fake, subjective and unbalanced news or stories.

“ From the foregoing, there is the need for regulation of online and social media is vital to separate the serious ones from the unscrupulous outfits, many of whose promoters are faceless and their offices unregistered, from tarnishing the image and damaging the reputation of the serious-minded professional ones”

He lamented that negative news tend to gain traction faster and more than positive ones adding that some tend dish out false information due to lack of knowledge about the ethical standards of the journalism profession while others with intent to discredit, ridicule, or damage their reputations.

Amosun noted that the nation is in a dire need of journalists and media practitioners who are committed to publish verifiable, objective and balanced news stories that will engender peace and tranquility in the society, national development and cohesion, and not falsehood and propaganda.