Staff Reporter :
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Monday in a statement demanded immediate identification and punishment to the persons linked with the government who allegedly spread fabricated news on social media platforms Tweeter and Facebook ahead of the upcoming general election to be held on December 30.
Earlier on December 20, both the social media authorities had took down some 30 pages and accounts ‘linked to individuals associated with the government’ for spreading out rumours against opposition.
Executive Director of TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman in a statement on Monday said, “Both Facebook and Tweeter authorities had defined the act of spreading fabricated news against political opponent and for the government to manipulate general people as illegal and abusing. They also claimed the account holders were patronised by the government.”
“It was embarrassing and condemning that Facebook and Tweeter authorities had defined such type of activities as “coordinated inauthentic behaviour” and “coordinated platform manipulation” respectively. It is an example of abusing social media platforms under patronisation of government and an
ominous sign for development of objective mass media,’ the statement read.
‘According to media reports, in spite of concrete evidences against law enforcers have questioned the role of Facebook authorities saying whether it was politically motivated. So, it is now uncertain whether the responsible persons would be brought under book.’
Mentioning past unrests in the country, incited by social media abuse, Iftekharuzzaman in the TIB statement also said the government must ensure to stop this type of manipulative activities in future.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Monday in a statement demanded immediate identification and punishment to the persons linked with the government who allegedly spread fabricated news on social media platforms Tweeter and Facebook ahead of the upcoming general election to be held on December 30.
Earlier on December 20, both the social media authorities had took down some 30 pages and accounts ‘linked to individuals associated with the government’ for spreading out rumours against opposition.
Executive Director of TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman in a statement on Monday said, “Both Facebook and Tweeter authorities had defined the act of spreading fabricated news against political opponent and for the government to manipulate general people as illegal and abusing. They also claimed the account holders were patronised by the government.”
“It was embarrassing and condemning that Facebook and Tweeter authorities had defined such type of activities as “coordinated inauthentic behaviour” and “coordinated platform manipulation” respectively. It is an example of abusing social media platforms under patronisation of government and an
ominous sign for development of objective mass media,’ the statement read.
‘According to media reports, in spite of concrete evidences against law enforcers have questioned the role of Facebook authorities saying whether it was politically motivated. So, it is now uncertain whether the responsible persons would be brought under book.’
Mentioning past unrests in the country, incited by social media abuse, Iftekharuzzaman in the TIB statement also said the government must ensure to stop this type of manipulative activities in future.
