Should social media be censored?- Outtakes from #NGNewMedia Conference

Photo credit: WIRED
by Tolu Orekoya
 
The  conference on New Media & Governance, held in Abuja culled minds from several fields to discuss the explosive impact of new media like Twitter, Facebook, blogs and others, the impact they have had, and, if needed, how best to manage these tools effectively. It is organised by the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation and Enough is Enough Nigeria. According to the latter’s site, the objectives of the conference are to: 
  1. To increase awareness amongst citizens, civil society actors and  policy makers for the potential of new media as a tool for public good;
  2. To share experience and knowledge of tools used around the world and explore possibility for adaptation, particularly pertaining to key governance issues such as budget tracking and security;
  3. To create a space for hands on learning on the use of different forms of new media for civic engagement.
 Participants tweeted some of their responses to the many speakers, the Q & A sessions, and conversations going on. Here is a sample:
@rotexonline: Part of our civil service transformation strategy is to ensure that every civil-servant becomes computer literate – Fayemi #NGnewmedia

@EddyAniekan: Elections occur in a single day while good governance occurs all through… #NGNewmedia #GeorgeBest. Note to Self, Note to Nigerians.
 
Ther also was a minor debate about whether new media should remain totally uncontrolled, or there should be some sort of guidelines for political entities.
@EFEPAUL: #NGNewMedia Mr. Kuna says govt & civil society ought to create ground rules for d use of new media. Quite an alarming suggestion

@femilonge: Idris Kuna from INEC asking 4 rules on how parties and civil societies use social media. #Ngnewmedia. Social media is a roforofo (muddy) space.

 Mr. Kuna is a legislator from Bayelsa. He joined other speakers including World Bank’s Caroline Sage, INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, and Chidi Odinkalu Chair of Nigerian National Human Rights Commision. Follow YNaija’s live updates from the final day of the conference, tomorrow.

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