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Bangladesh has engaged Meta to combat election-related misinformation ahead of its upcoming February 12 general elections and referendum, according to Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy on International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Siddiqi revealed that he held high-level discussions with Meta executives on the sidelines of last week’s World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The talks centered on implementing countermeasures against the spread of false information during the electoral period.
“The meeting particularly focused on how Meta can act against disinformation and misinformation ahead of the upcoming elections,” Siddiqi told reporters. Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam was also present at the briefing.
The discussions covered both preventive and reactive measures that the tech giant could implement. This included the possibility of shutting down specific social media pages if they were found to be inciting unrest during the election period. Siddiqi noted that a high-level protocol is currently being developed to address these concerns.
Meta has already begun coordination with Bangladesh’s Election Commission to implement safeguards against online manipulation during the electoral process. The company’s enforcement mechanisms, particularly those related to real-time disinformation control and election-specific tools, are being actively aligned with the Commission’s requirements.
“The importance of the issue is fully understood by Meta at the highest levels, with complete awareness across its senior leadership,” Siddiqi emphasized. He added that workshops on these tools have either been completed or are in progress.
Social media platforms have increasingly become battlegrounds for political influence during elections worldwide, with Meta facing criticism in recent years for its handling of political content and disinformation on its platforms. Bangladesh’s proactive engagement represents a growing trend among governments to collaborate with tech platforms ahead of critical democratic events.
The February 12 elections mark a significant moment for Bangladesh following a period of political transition. Ensuring the integrity of both the general elections and the referendum has become a priority for the interim government, with digital misinformation recognized as a potential threat to electoral fairness.
Beyond Meta, Siddiqi also disclosed that he met with representatives from PayPal during the WEF meeting to discuss the payment platform’s potential entry into Bangladesh. He clarified that while PayPal has expressed interest in the Bangladeshi market and is initiating internal processes, this should not be interpreted as an immediate market entry.
“They follow a long procedure to enter any market,” Siddiqi explained, tempering expectations about PayPal’s timeline for establishing services in Bangladesh. However, he noted that PayPal officials acknowledged improvements in Bangladesh’s governance, central bank leadership, and banking sector reforms, which have significantly reduced the country’s risk profile from an investment perspective.
The engagement with PayPal reflects Bangladesh’s broader efforts to integrate further into the global digital economy. Access to international payment platforms like PayPal would benefit Bangladesh’s growing freelance sector, which has struggled with payment barriers when working with international clients.
The WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, which brings together global leaders from government, business, and civil society, provided Bangladesh an opportunity to strengthen international partnerships and address key challenges facing the nation ahead of its crucial electoral process.
With less than three weeks until the elections, Bangladesh’s collaboration with Meta represents a significant step in safeguarding the democratic process in an increasingly digital political landscape.
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8 Comments
This is a timely and important initiative, as social media disinformation can have serious consequences for the integrity of elections. I hope the collaboration between Meta and Bangladesh leads to effective solutions that can serve as a model for other countries facing similar challenges.
This is an important initiative, as social media disinformation can significantly disrupt democratic processes. I hope the collaboration between Meta and Bangladesh leads to effective solutions that can be replicated in other countries facing similar challenges.
Developing a high-level protocol to address these concerns is a good first step. The details and implementation will be crucial to the success of this effort.
Combating election disinformation is a complex challenge, and I’m curious to see how this partnership between Meta and Bangladesh evolves. Shutting down specific social media pages could be a powerful tool, but it will require careful balancing to protect free speech while curbing the spread of false information.
The development of a high-level protocol to address these concerns is an important step, as it will provide a framework for how these measures are implemented and evaluated.
The threat of election-related disinformation is a global issue, and I’m glad to see countries like Bangladesh taking proactive steps to address it. Partnering with a tech giant like Meta could provide valuable resources and expertise, but the government will need to maintain oversight to ensure the measures are effective and transparent.
Interesting partnership between Meta and Bangladesh to combat election disinformation. Proactive measures to address false information during the election period seem prudent. I wonder what specific countermeasures they have in mind and how effective they will be in practice.
Shutting down social media pages found to be inciting unrest is a strong move, but it will be important to have a clear and transparent process to avoid overreach.