Nazim: Social media should be regulated, Rights should be exercised responsibly

Freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly, and social media requires regulation, said Deputy Speaker and Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim on Sunday evening.

After the SanguTV news, Nazim spoke about the media bill, which is currently in the committee stage. He also referred to his remarks in a former interview with Sun regarding the proposal of a bill to regulate journalism and the Internet.

In an interview with a Sun Online's "Editaruge Suvaalu" (Editor's Questions) program last January, Nazim said a bill was being prepared to regulate the internet, social media and journalism under one ‘roof’.

Last month, government-affiliated Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Abubakr introduced a media bill. The bill gives the government powers to control the media, and many people are concerned that the definition of ‘media’ in the bill could also include social media.

Nazim has formerly said he participated in the study of the bill. His earlier comments on social media regulation are now spreading on social media. Some allege that the bill is also aimed at regulating social media.

Referring to the allegations, Nazim said he had expressed his own opinion in that interview. He said there were no restrictions on social media, and things such as ‘selling one's own children online and making TikToks on family problems’ were things that tore up social norms and community unity.

“So I still personally believe [in regulating social media] today, however not everything I believe in will be passed by parliament, and even if I personally believe it will not be acceptable to the committee, so we don’t talk about regulating social media or banning social media,” he said.

Asked if the bill would stop expression on social media if it passed and became law, he said it was ‘definitely not true’. However, even if the right to write exists, it should also be done responsibly, Nazim said.

He added that the media bill would be amended in line with the existing proposals and international best practice. As such, when the committee passes the bill, it will be much better than it was when Hannan first moved it.

Therefore, journalists and content creators will not have anything to worry about in the bill, Nazim said.

Journalists have been expressing their dissatisfaction with the bill and calling for its rejection since it was introduced in parliament.

After continuous media protests, the government decided to propose some amendments to the bill.

The bill, which has been supported by many government members, does not seek to regulate social media, PNC Parliamentary Group Leader and Inguraidhoo Constituency MP Ibrahim Falah also said.