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Over the last one year, global tech firms have carried out the deactivation of over 28 million Nigerian digital accounts. These account removals is part of a broad enforcement effort aimed at addressing policy violations, security threats, and fraudulent acivities.
Information provided to Nigerian officials indicates that Google, LinkedIn, TikTok, and other companies undertook extensive deactivations. This happened after a broad regulatory exercise and intensification of supervision. The regulatory exercise was prompted by a surge in reports associated with hacked accounts and illicit activities online.
Officials stated that the removal actions were prompted by a range of violations on the platforms. They include impersonation, spam, network manipulation, coordinated inauthentic behaviour, and community guideline violations.
The firms also mentioned safety issues, intellectual property concerns, and gross abuse of AI tools as reasons for the deactivations.
Google’s enforcement operations uncovered millions of accounts associated with fraud or unusual user behaviour. Also included are accounts that post content breaches its policies.
TikTok
TikTok also launched an extensive operation targeting illicit acts, restricting several profiles and contents. A untold number of TikTok profiles associated with frequent rule breaches were taken down following its regulatory exercise.
If a platform allows too many fraudulent profiles and identity theft, it undermines its integrity.
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Emphasising the Extent of Abuse
The shocking number of deactivations highlights the extent of abuse of digital platforms by bad actors. Also, it shines light on cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s rapidly expanding digital landscape.
Image source: Affirmx.com
Regulators noted that enhanced collaboration with global platforms has led to quicker response times, more robust reporting structures, and improved detection systems.
NITDA and other regulatory agencies have heightened demands on social media firms to do more to protect users on their platforms. The agency has been pushing them to implement more transparent systems and strengthen cybersecurity.
Analysts say that the trend indicates both the growing use of digital platforms in Nigeria and a corresponding increase in nefarious activities targeting users.
They caution that the nation’s growing online user base makes it a key target for scams, identity theft, and automated exploitation. This necessitates stronger security measures across platforms and governmental agencies.
The wave of enforcement arrives as Nigeria accelerates its digital economy plan and seeks to align platform regulations with international standards.
Analysts say that the increasing transparency by tech firms is crucial to prevent misuse, safeguard users, and uphold platform credibility.
As greater enforcement measures are expected in 2025 and beyond, cybersecurity experts call for increased cross-platform collaborations to ensure accountability online. Also they must do more to minimise vulnerability for users on their platforms. They stress its capacity to safeguard the millions of Nigerians who depend on online platforms for communication, commerce, and economic opportunities.
