The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has issued a strong warning to content creators across Nigeria, cautioning that filming and sharing images of unsuspecting individuals online without consent could attract serious legal sanctions.
In a statement released in Abuja on Friday, the Commission said individuals who record members of the public and upload such footage to social media platforms without permission risk prosecution under the country’s data protection laws.
The statement, signed by the Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the NDPC, Babatunde Bamigboye, noted that the growing trend of filming strangers for online entertainment violates the privacy rights guaranteed to citizens.
Bamigboye explained that some content creators now record people in public places and distribute the footage across social media platforms as prank or reality-style content, a practice the Commission described as unlawful.
According to him, such actions breach citizens’ rights to informational self-determination, a protection guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and reinforced by the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
The Commission expressed particular concern over a case involving a content creator who allegedly films unsuspecting members of the public along roadsides in Lagos State and uploads the footage online as part of a reality-style programme.
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Preliminary investigations by the NDPC suggest that the practice represents a deliberate invasion of citizens’ privacy and serves no legitimate public interest.
The Commission stressed that individuals who appear in such videos cannot reasonably expect their images to be widely circulated online by unknown persons without their approval.
Bamigboye added that the processing, storage, or sharing of personal images requires the clear consent of the individuals involved unless there is a lawful basis that justifies the action.
The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Vincent Olatunji, has also directed operators of major social media platforms to strengthen enforcement of their community standards in order to prevent misuse of personal data.
Platforms specifically referenced include TikTok, X and services owned by Meta Platforms.
The Commission warned that platform operators who fail to respond promptly to complaints relating to privacy breaches could also face sanctions under the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
NDPC further emphasised that content creators are individually responsible for the material they publish online and may face criminal prosecution if their actions violate the privacy rights of citizens.
The agency therefore urged social media users and digital creators to respect the dignity and rights of individuals by ensuring that personal data and images are collected and shared strictly in line with Nigerian law.
