Nigerian Press Organisation backs probe of Meta, Google over content use
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The Nigerian Press Organisation NPO has endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission FCCPC to investigate major global technology companies and generative artificial intelligence platforms operating in Nigeria. This move addresses concerns regarding the use of journalistic content by digital platforms and aims to ensure fair competition within the Nigerian media industry. The NPO, in a statement by Frank Aigbogun, Deputy President of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Press Organisation, noted that the presidential directive followed a joint petition submitted to the Federal Government by its member organizations, including the NPAN, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers. A delegation had previously met with the President in March to highlight the growing threat posed by these technology and AI platforms to the sustainability of Nigeria’s media ecosystem. The NPO alleges that dominant digital platforms, including Meta, Alphabet, and X, along with some generative AI companies, use original journalistic content without adequately compensating publishers, undermining fair competition. The organization also raised concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability by some technology companies, which challenges journalism's role as a public-interest institution. The NP
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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Must ReadGoogle has responded to the Federal Government's investigation into major technology companies, stating its intention to engage constructively with regulators. This follows an announcement by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission FCCPC regarding a probe into allegations of anti-competitive practices, unlawful use of news content, and other concerns involving major tech firms and generative AI platforms operating in Nigeria. A Google spokesperson emphasized the company's commitment to Nigeria and the growth of its news and creative ecosystem, highlighting the value its products and partnerships bring to Nigerian users, publishers, and businesses. The investigation was initiated following a directive from President Bola Tinubu to the FCCPC, prompted by complaints from the Nigerian Press Organisation concerning the growing influence of global technology platforms and practices such as content scraping and AI training that could undermine local media organizations. The FCCPC will examine whether the activities of companies including Google's parent company Alphabet, Meta, and X violate Nigeria's competition laws or create unfair market outcomes, as well as allegations of unauthorized use of copyrighted journalistic content for AI model development. FCCPC Chief Executive Officer Tunji Bello stated the investigation would be independent, transparent, and evidence-based, assuring all affected parties an opportunity to present information.