Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has joined sixty (60) other Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) in endorsing the “Joint Statement on Al-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy.”
The Joint Statement was coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG) of the Global Privacy Assembly. This underscores the growing concerns regarding the privacy risks posed by Artificial Intelligence tools capable of generating realistic images and videos of identifiable individuals. This was contained in a press release signed by Babatunde Bamigboye Esq. CDPRP, Head, Legal, Enforcement, and Regulations.
The Joint Statement highlights concerns over the misuse of Al-powered tools to create non-consensual imagery, defamatory content, and other harmful materials, particularly affecting children and vulnerable groups. It calls on organisations to implement strong safeguards, ensure transparency, provide effective content removal mechanisms, and comply fully with applicable data protection laws.
The current effort forms part of a continuum of steps being taken by Nigeria to ensure the responsible use of Al. It will be recalled that the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, led the initiative for the development of the National Al Strategy. The NDPC also issued the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), which, amongst others, mandates privacy by design and privacy by default in the development and deployment of Al tools.
The National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has directed that the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) Compliance Audit Returns (CAR) by data controllers and processors of major importance will serve as a yardstick for monitoring and evaluating responsible use of Al for data processing in Nigeria.
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