Meta Enlisted by Bangladesh to Combat Election Disinformation

Bangladesh Engages Meta to Combat Election Misinformation Ahead of February Vote

Bangladesh has initiated high-level talks with Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to combat misinformation ahead of the country’s critical general election and referendum scheduled for February 12, according to Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy on International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi.

The discussions took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where Siddiqi met with Meta’s senior leadership to establish platform-level measures against election-related disinformation.

“I held a meeting with Facebook, now Meta, at the highest level, particularly focusing on how Meta can act against disinformation and misinformation ahead of the upcoming elections,” Siddiqi told reporters during a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.

The talks covered both preventative measures before polling begins and real-time interventions during the election period. Specific protocols for responding to coordinated misinformation campaigns and content that could potentially incite unrest were central to the discussions.

According to Siddiqi, Meta is exploring options to restrict or shut down specific pages or accounts found to be spreading content that threatens public order or undermines electoral integrity. A high-level protocol guiding coordination between Meta and Bangladeshi authorities is already under development.

“The importance of this matter is fully understood by Meta at the highest levels, and there is complete awareness across its senior leadership,” Siddiqi emphasized, noting that the company’s enforcement mechanisms for real-time disinformation control and election integrity tools are being aligned with the Election Commission’s requirements.

Training workshops on Meta’s election tools have either been conducted or are currently underway to strengthen institutional capacity in identifying and responding to online misinformation. Further detailed discussions are planned in an upcoming meeting with Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.

This engagement comes amid growing global concern over social media’s role in influencing electoral outcomes through the spread of false or misleading information. Bangladesh has previously highlighted issues with online misinformation during elections, consistently advocating for stronger cooperation with global technology platforms to protect democratic processes.

The timing is particularly significant as Bangladesh approaches a pivotal moment in its democratic journey. The February elections represent a crucial test for the country’s political stability following recent periods of unrest and transition.

In a separate development, Siddiqi also met with representatives from PayPal during the WEF Annual Meeting to discuss the global payments company’s potential entry into Bangladesh.

While PayPal has shown interest in the Bangladeshi market and is initiating internal processes for possible expansion, Siddiqi cautioned against interpreting this as an imminent development. “PayPal has shown interest in Bangladesh and is going to start internal processes, but this should not be misreported as immediate entry, as they follow a lengthy procedure to enter any market,” he clarified.

According to Siddiqi, PayPal officials noted that improvements in governance, stronger leadership at Bangladesh’s central bank, and ongoing banking sector reforms have contributed to reducing the country’s risk profile. These positive developments have enhanced Bangladesh’s standing in assessments conducted by global financial and technology firms considering market entry.

The potential entry of PayPal would represent a significant boost for Bangladesh’s growing digital economy and could facilitate easier international transactions for the country’s expanding freelance sector and e-commerce businesses, which have faced challenges with international payments.