The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has cautioned content creators against recording or photographing unsuspecting members of the public and posting such content on social media without their permission.
The warning was issued on Friday in a statement by Babatunde Bamigboye, the commission’s Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, in Abuja.
According to Bamigboye, capturing and sharing images of individuals without their consent violates citizens’ right to privacy and informational self-determination as protected under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution and the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
He explained that the commission had received reports of individuals filming members of the public without their knowledge and posting the footage online for entertainment purposes.
The NDPC cited a case involving a content creator who reportedly stood by roadsides in Lagos to film unsuspecting passersby for a reality-style show.
The commission stated that using people’s images in such situations requires their consent, except where the action can be legally justified under other lawful data-processing grounds.
Preliminary findings, however, showed that many of these acts amount to deliberate invasion of privacy and do not serve any public interest or legitimate purpose.
“In any event, the individuals involved have no expectation that their images will be captured and shared with the whole world by an unknown person,” Bamigboye said.
He also quoted the NDPC National Commissioner, Vincent Olatunji, as directing social media platforms to strengthen enforcement of their community guidelines to prevent abuse.
Platforms such as TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and services owned by Meta Platforms were specifically urged to tighten measures to protect users.
The commission warned that platform operators that fail to address such violations promptly could face sanctions under the data protection law.
