THE Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Friday lamented the misuse of Artificial Intelligence for creating and disseminating deepfake videos depicting public officials in compromising situations.
The Minister, however, stated that the Federal Government was collaborating with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to clean up the social media space while safeguarding freedom of expression.
The minister, according to a statement signed by his media aide, Mr. Rabiu Ibrahim on Friday spoke while receiving the President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhaji Alhassan Yahaya, who paid him a visit.
Idris said: “We see how AI can be used both positively and negatively. You could be sitting right here, and someone could superimpose another person’s head onto your body, completely misrepresenting you.
“Every day, we see that the president will say something and somebody will twist it and say a different thing; the minister will say something and somebody will twist it and say another thing,” he said.
The Minister said deepfake videos had damaged countless reputations and traumatized families by falsely portraying individuals in scandalous situations.
Idris stated that the Federal Government was collaborating with UNESCO to clean up the social media space while safeguarding freedom of expression.
“As a government, we are looking at that seriously, especially how to sanitize the social media space without gagging the freedom of expression.”
“Fortunately for us, the entire world is coming together to see how this menace can be fought. That’s why UNESCO is taking the lead,” he said.
He noted that UNESCO had gathered input from over 100 countries, with more than 10,000 submissions, and has also developed a comprehensive guide for digital content creators to help uphold the integrity of the online space.
The Minister, therefore, called on the NUJ to support the fight against fake news and misinformation, emphasizing the need to safeguard the credibility of the journalism profession.
“For us at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, we take the issue of misinformation and fake news very seriously and we want to call on you to help us and collaborate with us towards eradicating quacks within this profession and not only that but encouraging citizen journalists and the general public to write and publish only what they know is correct,” he stated.
The Minister used the occasion to inform the NUJ about the establishment of a Category 2 Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Institute, approved for Nigeria by UNESCO.
He said the institute, the first of its kind in the world, would equip journalists, students, and the general public with the skills to critically assess and responsibly engage with information in the digital space, combat misinformation and fake news, and promote professionalism.
The Minister congratulated the NUJ on its 70th anniversary of dedicated service to the nation and reaffirmed the Tinubu Administration’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom as a cornerstone for the growth and sustainability of democracy in Nigeria.
Earlier, the NUJ President, Alhaji Alhassan Yahaya, commended President Tinubu for appointing a media professional as the Minister of Information and National Orientation and pledged to partner with the ministry to showcase the administration’s laudable achievements.
He also used the occasion to brief the Minister on the activities planned for the NUJ’s 70th anniversary celebration, during which the Minister is expected to serve as Chief Host.