A cross section of participants at the event.
Story by Dili Utomi.
Journalists have been urged to beware of the dangers of certain act that could be termed cyber bullying or cyber stalking, this is part of the advice given at the Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MARAN) organised training for journalists at the MARAN centre, Thursday. At the event, Supretendent of Police Abubakar Smart, Acting Assistant Director, Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre urged journalists to be disciplined and mindful of their choice of words online.
According to Smart, the pen can be sharper than the knife; therefore, journalists should ensure that whatever they push out online would not put them in trouble.
His words “What strikes the mind of people when we talk of cybercrime is internet fraud but it is more then that”.
He added “Today, it has become a global threat due to the way we use the digital technology, the nature of our work and the way we interact online”.
“Journalists need to be well-informed about the Cybercrime Act of 2015, as amended, to be more educated about cybercrime so as not to fall victims,” he said.
Smart described cybercrime as any criminal activities done on the cyber space in any social media platforms.
He listed them to include bullying, stalking, fraud, identity theft and phishing.
“The punishment for cybercrime can be up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to millions of Naira, asset forfeiture”.
Second from left is SP Smart, Dr. Adagun and MARAN president Godwin Bivbere at the event.
“We should be aware of regulatory agencies responsible for ensuring the cyber space is free. Some are National Cybercrime Commission, Central Bank of Nigeria, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” he said.
Dr Layinka Adagun, a Mass Communication Lecturer at Lagos State Polytechnic in his presentation urged journalists not to be desperate to be superstars.
He said that the zeal to confirm exclusive stories and the persistence to get information first, could make some bullied.
Adagun said that some media professionals had a misconception that their daily activities, particularly intellectual outputs were removed from internet governance.
“The internet has become a global tool for everything including a channel for freedom of expression but sadly, the freedom that the internet depicts is now being attacked and users intimidated.
“We all need to safeguard our access and activities on the electronic highway,” he said.
He said that cybercrime could be avoided, reduced or eliminated through a combination of individual awareness, organisational measures and technological solutions.
“Some strategies are: to educate ourselves on cybercrime, use strong passwords, be cautious with links and attachments, keep software up-to-date, and implement cyber security policies,” Adagun said.
For advertisement and more information, please contact us on 08027590195, 08035721540 or email us at [email protected] or send us messages on x @dn_utomi or on Instagram @utomidili.
