Responsible use of online media urged to bring positive changes in society

Experts and stakeholders on Tuesday urged everyone to use online media responsibly to bring positive changes in the society. 

They made the call at a seminar on fostering responsible digital citizenship, said a press statement. The seminar was organised by DNET at a hotel in Baridhara of Dhaka under the joint funding of the European Union (EU) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

Speakers at the event discussed the success and learning aspects of the various capacity building, awareness and advisory initiatives taken under the 'Foster Responsible Digital Citizenship to Promote Freedom of Expression in Bangladesh' project.

They also discussed various possibilities and obstacles in using digital media in Bangladesh.

Rumki Farhana, senior program officer of ARTICLE 19, said the DSA is being abused as a weapon of legal harassment to the journalists and communicators rather than playing the role of protection.

She said, “Any act or policy shall be developed with a multi-stakeholder approach ensuring maximum exclusivity including collective insights and input rather than analysing later on after going through negative experiences.”

Also speaking on the occasion, Executive director of DNET M Shahadat Hossain said, “Through the FRDC project, many young people have been able to learn about exercising their rights safely in the digital world. Only if we are able to spread such initiatives across Bangladesh can we ensure a sustainable and progressive future for our country in this digital era.'

Dr Nazmul Hossain, the country representative of Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, said the investment on the project will be successful if its beneficiaries take the project as their own and spread it.

Taif Hossain, programme manager of the European Union, said, “Work is always done for backward communities, but this project is for forward-looking communities. We are working to scale up the work.”

Rabiul Islam, a professor of the University of Rajshahi, recommended educating young people, including journalists and activists, on how to express themselves in a constructive and legal manner on social, cultural, economic, and political issues in the digital platform.