Commission Directs TikTok, X, Meta To Strengthen Enforcement Of Community Guidelines, Content Creators Personally Accountable For Privacy Violations
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The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has warned content creators against filming unsuspecting members of the public without their consent.
It has also threatened criminal prosecution and sanctions against social media platforms that fail to act.
The commission, in a statement released on Friday, said it had been alerted to the activities of individuals who take pictures and video footage of unsuspecting persons and share them on social media, describing such acts as violations of the constitutional right to privacy.
It cited a specific case involving a content creator who stands at roadsides in Lagos State to produce what she describes as a “reality show” of unsuspecting passers-by, saying a preliminary investigation had revealed that the practice served neither a public nor a legitimate interest.
“These acts violate the rights of citizens to informational self-determination as guaranteed under S.37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act).
“The particular case of a content creator who stands at roadsides in Lagos State to create a “reality show” of unsuspecting members of the general public raises concerns about abuse of rights in the name of entertainment. Processing the images of people, in this circumstance, requires consent unless the creator can justify her actions under other lawful bases of data processing.
“Preliminary investigation by the Commission reveals that this wilful invasion of citizens’ privacy serves neither a public nor a legitimate interest. In any event, the data subjects involved have no expectation that their images will be captured and shared with the whole world by an unknown individual,” the statement read.
According to the statement, the national commissioner and chief executive of the commission, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has directed platform owners, including TikTok, X and Meta, to strengthen enforcement of their community guidelines to prevent harm to individuals through what the commission described as “unlawful and unfair processing of personal data.”
“In the wake of this development, the National Commissioner/CEO of the Commission, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has directed platform owners (such as TikTok, X, and Meta) to step up enforcement of community guidelines with a view to preventing harm to individuals through unlawful and unfair processing of personal data,” the statement read.
The commission warned that it would not hesitate to act against non-compliant platforms.
It added that individual content creators remained personally accountable for their conduct and could face criminal prosecution for violating the privacy rights of citizens and other data subjects in Nigeria.
“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 under the NDP Act.
“More importantly, individual content creators are accountable for their acts and omissions, and may be liable to criminal prosecution for violating the privacy rights of citizens and other data subjects in Nigeria,” it stated.
The warning comes amid a recent incident where a woman who regularly highlights the persistent shortage of buses on Lagos State’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes cried out after being harassed by another woman who attempted to stop her from recording the situation on camera.
In a video shared online, the activist recounted how she was confronted and threatened while documenting the lack of public transport. “Don’t make any video today. If you want to do content creation, go to the garage. Leave my camera. If you make any video today, I’ll seize your phone. I’m not joking,” the harasser reportedly told her.
Despite repeated attempts to intimidate her, the activist refused to back down, stating: “You cannot stop me from making a video. There is no bus. See everybody, no bus. Tell your father to buy buses here. Provide buses for us, then I will not make video.”
The incident highlights the frustration of Lagos commuters who face daily challenges due to insufficient public transport, with long queues and limited buses exacerbating the problem.
Meanwhile, traffic congestion worsened on Tuesday morning at Otedola Bridge following an accident involving an overturned truck, adding to the morning gridlock in the state. Commuters were urged to plan alternative routes as authorities work to clear the obstruction.
The activist’s video has sparked online discussions on commuter rights, safety, and the urgent need for improvements in Lagos State’s public transport system.
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