Some Nigerians have lauded the role of the social media in fast -tracking information dissemination, as the world marks the Sept. 28 International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI)
A section of Nigerians, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, gave the commendation in view of their easy access to the latest information via the various platforms available on the social media.
A respondent, Mr Justin Adekunle, in Abuja, said he now had easy access to available information on different platforms of the social media.
“Now news is very easy to access; with mobile devices and many other technologies that are readily available, news and happenings around the world circulate much faster.
“If there is any disaster in France, a hurricane in the US, or around the world, news and updates circulate fast; in fact as soon as it happens.
“It creates this togetherness, this oneness, that we are all in it togther; we sympathise, pray and offer help where necessary,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 2017 is the second year of UNESCO marking Sept. 28 as IDUAI and on Nov. 17 2015, UNESCO adopted a resolution (38 C/70) declaring Sept. 28 of every year as IDUAI.
IDUAI has particular relevance with the new 2030 Development Agenda and calls for easy public access to information and protection of fundamental freedoms.
In her own contribution, Miss Linda Okey, lauded the different applications being used for sharing information particularly those that enable users to share their inputs as feedback on the information.
“Social media and its contributory element, where one can share and get feedback immediately on information, has shaped this generation a great deal.
“People around the world are now more involved with one another, policies and views of leaders are easily known, criticised or commended; people’s views matter these days,” she said.
Some other respondents, while condemning the high rate of fake news peddlers on the social media, maintained that some information and views had changed policies in Nigeria.
Also, Mrs Esther Effanga, noted that certain policies had been changed due to inputs from the users of the social media.
“Some bills have been stopped due to views on social media while some State Governments have had to redirect their steps due to criticisms on the social media.
“Like the Calabar-Itu Road, it was bad for years, after people posted its deplorable state on social media continually, it has been repaired and expanded.
“Now people are sympathising with the Benue flood victims, who have lost property and farmlands; and offering suggestions to forestall recurrence of sch a disaster; these are some of the benefits,” she said. (NAN)