Whatever is seen in the ‘news feed’ of social media is not news. But many people who are addicted to making money are now spreading various information on the internet. It has become a big challenge to identify which information is true and which is false. If awareness is created from the grassroots level of the country, only then it is possible to control the release of wrong information.
The experts said this while participating in the discussion of Cyber Security Awareness Month (CAM) October. Omar Farooq Khandaker, Joint Convener of CAM National Committee and Vice President of ISAKA Dhaka Chapter, presided over the webinar on ‘Fake News on Social Media: Challenge and Way out’.
The moderator of the webinar was Barrister Rashna Imam, Member Secretary of the Committee and Advisor to the Cyber Crime Awareness Foundation (CCA Foundation). Abu Saeed Asiful Islam, Associate Editor of Dhaka Tribune and Prof. Dr. Deen M Sumon Rahman of Media Studies and Journalism Department of University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) took part in the discussion.,
Sumon Rahman said that completely false or half-truthful information is spread on purpose. This is fake news. Misinformation, disinformation and malinformation – three types of information are harmful to society. Another new term is midinformation.
Misinformation too means wrong information. Spreading such misinformation due to ignorance or carelessness. Design information is the deliberate use of misinformation to embarrass an individual, social group, organization or country. Malinformation is the correct information. But the use of accurate information is planned against any individual, social group, organization or country.
Professor Sumon said that if any information is published on the internet, if the website is an established or mainstream news medium, it will not usually give wrong information. Also, if any website has https:// at the beginning of the web address in the address bar, it can be considered safe, but only http:// is not safe.
In the context of Bangladesh, many people are running web portals under different names for the benefit of monetization system i.e., dissemination of information through social media. In this context, an information ecosystem should be developed at the grassroots level of the country to stop the spread of misinformation. At the same time, we need to increase digital literacy among internet users. Some social media are taking steps to prevent the spread of fake information, but not all social media authorities are taking such initiatives.
Abu Saeed Asiful Islam said that the monetization system is working as the main driving force behind the spread of fake information on the internet. This has now become a major hurdle in getting accurate information. He thinks that it is possible to solve this problem through joint efforts.
Journalist Asiful Islam said the internet is now an important weapon. Each of us, as a media worker or as a media reader, has an important role to play in preventing the misuse of it and intentionally spreading misinformation to the detriment of society.
This senior journalist opines that whatever comes in the social media news feed is not ‘news’. When a media person receives any information, it is his duty to verify the information and make sure that the news is disseminated. Through this the viewer/reader will get the correct information and through this the society will benefit.
Omar Farooq Khandaker said that awareness is very important to prevent the spread of fake information on the internet. In addition, news portals can introduce reader rating system in every news. Then conscious readers will be able to play a positive role in preventing intentionally leaked information.
The month-long awareness program is being run under the auspices of mobile phone operator Robi Axiata Limited and technology service provider Cyber Paradise. The English daily Dhaka Tribune broadcast the webinar online live on Saturday night. The CCA Foundation started celebrating Cyber Security Awareness Month internationally in 2004 and officially in Bangladesh since 2016.
