Personal Data Protection and Facebook Privacy Infringements in Nigeria

Abstract

Personal data protection is a fundamental human right. Therefore, privacy infringements by Facebook are breaches of individuals’ rights and an issue of global concern. The infringements constitute unethical business conduct, inadvertently exposing victims to socio-economic and security risks. From the lens of Gatekeeping Theory, the paper argues that the social responsibility of governments and media organizations include establishing appropriate standards for practice and use of personal data. The provisions of Nigeria’s Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), is criticized as weak and incapable of matching Europe’s GDPR standards. This paper proposes bespoke personal data protection strategy and creating a media space that is safe to all.