ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • #EndSARS Dashboard
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Special Reports and Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • #PandoraPapers
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
  • Home
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Special Reports and Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Features and Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • #EndSARS Dashboard
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • #PandoraPapers
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Desmond Elliot [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Instagram]

Desmond Elliot [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Instagram]

FACT-CHECK: Did Desmond Elliot call for social media regulation as widely claimed?

There's nowhere in the speech where Mr Elliot advocated 'social media regulation in Nigeria'.

bySilas Jonathan
November 1, 2020
3 min read

Claim: Several news websites including ThewillNigeria and Naijadiary reported that Lagos lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, called for the regulation of social media in Nigeria following the #EndSARS protest. The lawmaker has also been widely criticised on social media for purportedly advocating the regulation of social media.

Verdict: The claim that Mr Elliot called for the regulation of social media in Nigeria as a result of the #EndSARS protest is misleading.

The headline of the reports did not match the content as there was nowhere in Mr. Elliot’s speech where he categorically said social media should be regulated in Nigeria.

Full text

The aftermath of the #EndSARS protest came with an influx of controversies, multiple streams of information, and disinformation. One of the comments that suddenly became controversial was that by Nigerian actor and politician, Desmond Elliot.

Desmond Eliot, who is representing the Surulere constituency at the Lagos House of Assembly, was a Nollywood actor who later joined politics as a state lawmaker.

At the Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday, October 26, 2020, Mr Elliot pushed for his fellow lawmakers to pay more attention to social media. He was reacting to the topic: ‘effects and aftermath of #EndSARS protest in Lagos; destruction of monuments, public and private properties,’ which was being discussed by the lawmakers.

Mr Elliot’s speech was met with criticism by social media users who rebuked him for referring to users as ‘children’ and for purportedly calling for social media regulation.

Some sections of the media reported Mr Elliot’s speech in this sense. For instance, thewillnigeria.com, a news website, claimed Desmond Elliot called for regulation of social media in Nigeria in line with the impact it had on the #EndSARS protest. The claim was presented in a news report that was headlined “Regulate Social Media- Desmond Eliot” alongside transcribed statements from Mr. Desmond’s speech.

Headline of the story on ThewillNigeria

Naijadiary came up with a similar headline with the lead, “A video captured the moment Nollywood actor turned politician, Desmond Elliot, called for social media regulation at the Lagos State House of Assembly.”

1X Bet AD

Nigerian social media also misinterpreted and amplified the lawmaker’s speech in like manner.

Alex Weenick (@Alexweenick )tweeted in reaction, “Dear Desmond Elliot, If you want to shut down social media like China, Also suggest that death penalty should be included for corrupt politicians like China is doing.#EndOppression#Endbadgovernance #EndSARS”

Like the news headlines, tweets, comments and other posts on social media misrepresented Mr Elliot’s speech as a call for the regulation of social media in Nigeria.

DUBAWA and PREMIUM TIMES set out to find out if Mr. Elliot actually made this call.

Verification

We traced the original video clip that captured the plenary session of the Lagos Assembly. A content analysis of Mr Elliot’s speech during the plenary session revealed that he mentioned ‘social media’ twice in his six-minute speech.

First when he said that “We need to address certain things: Nigerian youth; the social media; the social influencers. All of these are making the narrative that we’re seeing today. Except we’re joking with ourselves, social media, yes though good has its negative impacts.”

And when he also said, “Please celebrities; please social media influencers, stop the hatred already. You have a means constitutionally to change the government; it’s called your PVC.”

We could not trace anywhere within the speech where Mr Elliot said something about ‘social media regulation in Nigeria’.

Furthermore, thewillnigeria.com, seems to have doctored Mr Elliot’s speech to suit its headline: “Regulate Social Media- Desmond Elliot.” In one instance, keywords from his statements were excluded in the claimant’s reports:

Screenshot of thewillnigeria.com reports on Mr. Desmond.

Although the highlighted statement is quoted as Mr Elliot’s words, his actual statement transcribed from the audio is different.

The actual statement from his speech, contrary to the highlights in red, as reported by thewillingnigeria.com was “Except we’re joking with ourselves, social media, yes though good, has its negative impacts.” while ThewillNigeria quoted him as saying “Except we’re joking with ourselves, social media has its negative impacts.” omitting the phrase “yes though good.”

Conclusion

In his widely referenced speech, Mr Elliot never categorically called for the regulation of social media in Nigeria. The reports and associated comments on social media are misleading.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate



TEXT AD: To place an advert here . Call Willie - +2348098788999


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (9)
premiumtimes





PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Nine Nigerian-Americans contesting in U.S. elections

Next Post

#EndSARS: Critical documents not damaged during attack on NPA hq – Official

Silas Jonathan

Silas Jonathan

More News

Senate chambers during plenary. [PHOTO CREDIT: @NgrSenate on Facebook]

Senate amends Electoral Act to allow statutory delegates to vote at party congresses, conventions

May 10, 2022
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC National chieftain.

2023: Anybody can run but not everybody can be president – Tinubu

May 10, 2022
Godwin Emefiele

EDITORIAL: Why The CBN Governor Should Be Sacked

May 10, 2022
Sim Cards used to illustrate the story.

NIN: Month after, faulty systems at NIMC, telcos keep millions of phone users barred

May 10, 2022
NIGERIA-CHINA-DIPLOMACY

2023: Jonathan says he’s undecided, rejects APC presidential form

May 10, 2022
Former Nigerian president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

2023: Northern group buys APC presidential nomination form for Jonathan

May 9, 2022
Next Post
Nigerian Ports Authority

#EndSARS: Critical documents not damaged during attack on NPA hq – Official

Turkey on map

Buhari condoles with Turkey, Greece over earthquakes

Read All Comment

Search

AUN-PT Ad





Transport-Technology


Stanbic Ad


Access Bank Ad





Glo Ad


Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,828,253 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • #PandoraPapers
  • Gender
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Investigations
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Multimedia
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • #EndSARS Dashboard
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • AUN-PT Data Hub
  • Opinion
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.