Legal Implications of Sensitive Content and the Viewers’ Discretion: An Interrogation of Content Warning Rule in Nigeria
Keywords:
Sensitive content, viewers’ discretion, content warning rule, digital media, media consumptionAbstract
The expansion of digital media has led to increased access to diverse content, including materials that some viewers may find sensitive or triggering. This raises questions about the role and legal implications of content warnings in Nigeria. This paper interrogates the role and legal implications of content warnings or viewers’ discretion advisories within the Nigerian legal framework. It examines the concept of sensitive content, the function of content warnings in empowering viewer autonomy, and analyzes the existing Nigerian legal landscape, including constitutional provisions, regulatory frameworks like the National Broadcasting Commission Act 2004 (The “NBC Act”) and the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), to ascertain the legal standing and necessity of such warnings. While Nigeria lacks explicit legislation mandating universal content warnings, this research explores the relationship between evolving media consumption, ethical considerations, and newly emerging legal principles that could shape the future of content warnings and legal implications.
References
Adediran, A. (2002). Law and Journalism in Nigeria. Spectrum Books.
Akinfeleye, R. (Ed.). (2008). Contemporary Issues in Mass Media for Development and National Security. Malthouse Press Limited.
Barker, M., & Petley, J. (Eds.). (2001). Ill Effects: The Media/Violence Debate (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Bellet, B., Jones, P. & McNally, R. (2018). Trigger Warning: Empirical Evidence Ahead. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 61, 134-141.
Buckingham, D. (2003). Media Education: Literacy, Learning, and Contemporary Culture. Polity Press.
Cantor, J. (1998). Mommy, I’m scared: How TV and movies frighten children and what we can do about it. Harcourt Brace & Company.
Falana, F. (2010). Fundamental Rights Enforcements in Nigeria. Legaltext Publishing Company Limited.
Hundeyin, B. (2025). Clarification on Viral Video of Young Men Arriving Lagos in Large Numbers at Ibeju-Lekki. For Lagos State Police Command. Sourced from http://securityandsafetymatters.wordpress.com/2025/05/15/lagos-police-says-no-cause-for-alarm-confirm-legitimate-arrival-of-nothern-workers-at-ibeju-lekki/ Accessed 19th May 2025.
Kigho-Oyolo, M. (2020). Nigerian Press Law and Freedom of the Press. Demaro Chambers.
Livingstone, S. (2009). Young People and New Media. Sage Publication.
Luce, A. (Ed.). (2017). Ethical reporting of sensitive topics. Routledge.
Meek, A. (Ed.). (2010). Trauma and Media. Theories, Histories and Images. Routledge.
National Broadcasting Commission Regulation.
Nigeria Data Protection Act.
National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) Act.
Nwankwo, O. (2012). Media Ethics and Law in Nigeria. Prime Publishing House.
Ojukwu, R. (2015). Broadcasting Law and Policy in Nigeria. University of Lagos Press.
Osinbajo, Y. & Fogam, P. (1991). Nigerian Media Law. Gravitas Publishments.
Ortuanya, S.U. (2022). Human Rights in Nigeria. Princeton & Associate Publishing Co. Ltd.
Potter, W. (2019). Media Effects. Sage Publications.
Oxford Languages (2025). Oxford Languages Approach to Sensitive Content. Oxford University Press.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended).
The Criminal Code Act.
Warburton, N. (2016). Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Advanced Legal Studies and Governance (IJALSG)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
