Pseudo names or nicknames on social media may soon be illegal to use in Kenya following a proposal to ban their use so as to ensure there is reduction of spread of fake news, local media report.
The proposal by the Kenya Film Classification Board CEO Ezekiel Mutua who has been nicknamed the Kenyan moral police will bar the use of fake Facebook names and accounts to malign other people’s reputation.
In his Facebook post Mutua said Kenyans who are not in any mischief should not be scared of revealing their real identity.
“To deal with the spectre of fake news, we are proposing a law that will bar people from using fake or pseudo names. If you are not into any mischief why do you want to have a fake Facebook account?” the post said.
“If you must give your true identity to open an mpesa account, why should you hide behind anonymity to operate a facebook account to insult people or spread falsehoods?”
