Call for ensure free flow of internet to achieve SDGs

In a bid to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) it is needed to ensure a safe, non-discriminatory and free internet for the youth.

ARTICLE 19 South Asia regional director Faruq Faisel came up with the remarks while addressing a virtual dialogue with the representatives of young generation to find their views on the prospects and risks of the internet in Bangladesh and how to ensure a safe internet.

The webinar titled ‘Emerging Bangladesh:  Internet Freedom and the Young Generation organized The Bangladesh Internet Freedom Initiative Working Group (BIFIWG) on Thursday at a hotel in Dhaka by the International human rights organization ARTICLE supported in organizing this awareness raising event.

Faruq Faisel also said that In this case, priority should be given to the people of the marginalized communities, especially the youth.’

Jahir Rayhan, a member of the BIFIWG and co-founder of Youth for Change, Reneka Ahmed Antu, another member of the BIFIWG and admin of The Brave Girls, a Girls’ Digital Platform, Md. Masud Rana Naim, volunteer peer leader at SAREC-Bangladesh and Romana Akthar Shanta, a youth activist and project associate at DW Akademie Bangladesh, spoke among the representatives of the young generation at the webinar.

Jahir Rayhan, on behalf of the BIFIWG, presented some technical tips to deal with false information online. He said, ‘Awareness of the user is the most important factor in verifying the accuracy of information found on the internet. With posing a little awareness online, false information can easily be identified and countered.’

Reneka Ahmed Antu said, ‘The effects of the prevailing patriarchal mentality and social inequality are strongly felt in the world of internet as well. For this reason, access to the internet and its safe use for women, especially girls, adolescents and young women, on the internet in Bangladesh is much more difficult than their male counterpart.’

Md. Masud Rana Naim said, ‘Many young people think that social media is their personal space. We need to get out of this misconception. Young people need to be encouraged to act responsibly on public platforms for safe roaming on the internet.’

Romana Akthar Shanta said, ‘It is important to ensure the security of various accounts online to prevent harassment of women. This requires using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication for account security, and being careful when posting photos public.’

The young speakers emphasized on the importance of practicing internet etiquette and digital literacy from the family level to ensure a safe internet on the event.

They suggest that female members of the family, especially mothers, need to be informed about awareness and basic knowledge of the internet, as well as safe use and security of digital devices. At the same time, they feel that they need to be more vigilant and aware about the use of social media.

Apart from the youth, representatives of various civil society organizations, digital rights activists, cyber experts and journalists attended the webinar.