‘Young gen needs to know what info they share’

The young generation needs to understand what information they share with the masses, speakers have said at a workshop.

Information technology is advancing in leaps and bounds, and the dangers of disinformation, misinformation and fake news loom large, they said.

The youth must be aware of these dangers and prepare themselves accordingly, said the speakers, noting that malinformation or fake news could bring anyone under the regulations of the Digital Security Act (DSA) 2018.

The Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS), in collaboration with the US Embassy (Public Diplomacy section), hosted its gender-focused workshop titled, ‘Building Awareness Against Disinformation Among Youth’ at the American Center Dhaka recently.

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 Tammi.

Munir emphasised how the general mass can trace disinformation or fake news, said a media release on Monday.

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.

Tammi 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.