Fake news has emerged as a major concern as clones of several popular news websites, including Bangla Tribune, appeared last week, circulating outright false political reports in the social media.
Observers, however, find what more alarming is the lack of technological know-how and proper human resources of the Election Commission to combat it.
The Commission, however, said on Wednesday (Nov 21) that it is in the process to set up a social media monitoring cell to “stop rumours and anti-state propaganda” ahead of the polls upon feedback from the telecoms regulator, mobile operators and cyber crime experts.
“We, in Bangladesh, are a step ahead of others; we not only produce fake news but also make fake websites,” Centre for Policy Dialogue Distinguished Fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya told Bangla Tribune/
Fake news is aimed at three kinds of audience — unsuspecting consumers, people enjoy reading it but doesn’t necessarily believe and those who instantly believe it, according to him.
“The job is half done even if the audience in the first two categories are confused,” said Debapriya.
Fake news ahead of the election fall in two categories — aiming to draw attention at the national level and more targeted, like people at a specific constituency, he said. “We will see a wave of these ahead of the election.”
The Election Commission “doesn’t have the capacity and apparently least interested” on the matter, said Debapriya before adding: “We don’t any see statement or comments from them on fake news.”
According to him, awareness is the only way to address the problem.“We are living in age of technology and we have to learn to live with it.”
Former diplomat Md Touhid Hossain, however, says fake news will not have impact massively.
“Who cares about fake news when politicians are openly exchanging false allegations against each other and it is being published in all national dailies every day,” he said.
The former foreign secretary, however, said fake news will influence the young voters who use teh social media widely.
In today’s world, politicians don’t need to work with media, think-tank, political party and elites, says Dr Jim McGann of the Pennsylvania University in the US. “They can cut out the middle person like media and reach the voters and it is the new reality.”
Internet has helped people to interact and exchange their thoughts like it was never before, he said.
Advancement of tech is disrupting everything and it will continue to disrupt everything we do, according to McGann. “Most people in the US don’t trust the government but believe in the group of friends they have on Facebook and it’s easy to manipulate through the social media.”
Fake news has been a major concern for the media across the world, especially in the wake of Russian interference in the US elections and the UK Brexit vote.
