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In Nigeria, artificial intelligence can help students learn and can also help small shops do business.

But when people use these tools, are the questions they enter and the files they upload saved?

How do companies use this personal information?

These questions still need clearer explanations.

In September 2024, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission published the results of an investigation into nine large social media and video-sharing companies, including TikTok and YouTube.

The investigation found that these companies collected large amounts of user information and sometimes also collected information about people who did not use their services.

Yet people do not necessarily know how this information will be used, and it is difficult to prevent certain uses.

This information can help companies improve their AI services, but it may also make it easier for companies or governments to carry out digital surveillance—that is, to learn about and track people’s activities through online information.

This does not mean that all AI tools monitor their users, but the more information there is, the more important protection becomes.

Nigeria passed a personal data protection law in 2023 and established an agency responsible for protecting this information.

However, laws alone are not enough; they also need to be properly enforced.

Companies need to explain in simple language what they collect, why they collect it, and how long they keep it; users also need to know what rights they have.

As more people gain access to AI, they should also be able to decide how their information is used.