DCs asked to take steps to stop propaganda on social media

Information Minister Hasan Mahmud has urged the deputy commissioners (DCs) to be more active to stop spreading rumours and propaganda on social media.

“Social media is a big space for spreading propaganda just the way it is a big platform for publicity,” he told the DCs at a session on the third day of the DCs’ Conference at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Thursday.

Following the session, the Information Minister shared opinions with journalists.

He said some 8.5 crore to 9 crore people in Bangladesh use social media, which has been rising constantly. The social media is a big space of publicity, and it is also being used to publicise propaganda and rumours.

Last seven to eight years’ statistics show that almost all of the rumours which were spread with ulterior motives, whatever the untoward incidents had happened, and indscipline and chaos were created, was due to social media,” he said. “We have raised the matter to the DCs so that they always remain active and take effective measures.”

Hasan said that according to the broadcasting policy, news cannot be broadcast on IPTVs or YouTube.

“But it’s happening. In some cases news bulletins are being aired on IPTVs as well as YouTube,” he said.

“The broadcasting policy has been approved by the Cabinet. The DCs have been instructed to take effective steps in this regard,” he said.