Social Media Is Impacting Nigeria’s Growth Negatively – Maryam Charles

Nollywood actress, Maryam Charles has come out to say that she supports the government’s plan to regulate the social media space.

She recently revealed this via her Facebook page and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to her, fake news can negatively impact a country’s growth, so we should expect our leaders to do everything possible to prevent that.

She added that social media has definitely been a blessing and a curse in Nigeria depending on who you ask.

Her words, “I feel like social media should be regulated… Social media has been a blessing and a curse depending on who you ask.

To spread news; for keeping in touch with friends and family, it has been a blessing. But also, to disseminate fake news for selfish purposes and to bully people, it has been a curse. I have had my own share of fake news attacks and I know how they made me feel. Should I also share examples of when I’ve been bullied?

Bullied by people who do not know me, but because of the nature of my work, they think that gives them the right to run their mouths or in this case their keyboards.”

Now imagine spreading fake news all with the goal of bringing down a country and it’s elected government, imagine the ramifications. This is where I’m coming from. Anyone who has a profile on any of the social media sites should be responsible with the information they share. Na my point be this.

Celebs are humans too and we can yab anybody who attacks us, but because we know better,many of us choose to conduct ourselves as adults. No be only you get data.

If I’m not mistaken, I know Nigeria also has laws against the spread of falsehoods on the internet and I don’t think we should adopt the censorship styles of China if we cannot adopt their style of executing corrupt officials.”

The govt should try and enforce the already existing laws and try and also educate the country on the need to be responsible online.”