NDPC warns content creators over unauthorised filming of citizens

NDPC warns content creators over unauthorised filming of citizens

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has warned content creators against filming unsuspecting members of the public without their consent.

It has also threatened criminal prosecution and sanctions against social media platforms that fail to act.

The commission, in a statement released on Friday, said it had been alerted to the activities of individuals who take pictures and video footage of unsuspecting persons and share them on social media, describing such acts as violations of the constitutional right to privacy.

It cited a specific case involving a content creator who stands at roadsides in Lagos State to produce what she describes as a “reality show” of unsuspecting passers-by, saying a preliminary investigation had revealed that the practice served neither a public nor a legitimate interest.

“These acts violate the rights of citizens to informational self-determination as guaranteed under S.37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act).

“The particular case of a content creator who stands at roadsides in Lagos State to create a “reality show” of unsuspecting members of the general public raises concerns about abuse of rights in the name of entertainment. Processing the images of people, in this circumstance, requires consent unless the creator can justify her actions under other lawful bases of data processing.

“Preliminary investigation by the Commission reveals that this wilful invasion of citizens’ privacy serves neither a public nor a legitimate interest. In any event, the data subjects involved have no expectation that their images will be captured and shared with the whole world by an unknown individual,” the statement read.