Malinformation or fake news could bring anyone under the regulations of the Digital Security Act (DSA) 2018. The young generation needs to understand what information they share with the masses. Information technology is advancing in leaps and bounds, and the dangers of disinformation, misinformation and fake news loom large. The youth must be aware of these dangers and prepare themselves accordingly.
The Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS), in collaboration with the US Embassy (Public Diplomacy section), hosted its workshop titled, 'Building Awareness Against Disinformation Among Youth' at the EMK Center Dhaka.
The workshop was conducted by the Head of the Bangladesh Center for Terrorism Research and Senior Research Fellow at BIPSS, Shafqat Munir and the Project and Event Coordinator of BIPSS, Lamia Rahman.
Shafqat Munir said we live in an information age, and in this information and data-driven society, disinformation is emerging as a critical challenge. He mentioned the importance of understanding the distinction between disinformation, misinformation and malinformation. According to him, the proliferation of social media apps further adds to the challenge; information cannot be suppressed, nor can an information vacuum be created. He recommended awareness across society as one of the biggest tools for fighting disinformation.
He emphasised how the general mass can trace disinformation or fake news. He further mentioned that people start reacting and sharing news even before verifying the legitimacy of the information. According to him, one must first understand and analyse the news.
Lamia Rahman focused on the spread of fake news and disinformation targeting females. She pointed out that such activities are barriers to women's empowerment and must be addressed tactically. She portrayed a set of techniques to counter disinformation and fake news.
The workshop was attended by various university and college students of Dhaka. The sessions were very interactive, with insights from all the students.