During the recently concluded 12th national parliamentary election, there was widespread dissemination of rumors and misleading information. This sophisticated spread of information also impacted election activities.
Additionally, instances of hate speech were prevalent, and in some cases, deepfake technology was employed. Video content proved to be a more effective medium for spreading misinformation compared to text. However, conflicting statements were less prevalent in this election compared to previous instances.
These data have come out in a joint study by the Centre for Critical and Qualitative Studies (CQS) of ULAB and eArki. The results of the study were published on the CQS website on Sunday.
The study indicates that 72% of misinformation related to elections on social media is disseminated through video content, 14% involves the creation of photo cards with specific images, 12.1% is presented in written or essay format, and 1.9% is attributed to deepfakes, particularly those generated using artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, the research reveals that 64% of disinformation is employed for the purpose of defamation and influence. Among these instances, 32.5% are directly defamatory, 32.5% involve interference or attempts to influence, 12.7% contribute to internal discord, 8.3% incite conflict, and 7% involve baseless or fictitious protest programs.
Additionally, 43.3% of the disseminated content primarily targets government institutions, especially the Election Commission, police, and the army. Another 24.8% of the content is anti-Awami League, while 22.3% focuses on active opposition parties in the country. Media and civil society are the subjects of 5.1% of the content.
It is noteworthy that 44% of the fake content outlined in the study is propagated on fake news media pages, predominantly on Facebook. Another 32.4% is disseminated through personal accounts, and 1.5% originates from verified accounts.
Research indicates that the most effective means of spreading rumors is through appealing thumbnails. Approximately 67% of fake news links utilize eye-catching images and distorted videos in their thumbnails, rendering them attractive to consumers. The study, conducted from November 15, 2023, to Election Day on January 7, 2024, involved 200 verified news sources and 157 rare contents, featuring contributions from AFP, Boom Bangladesh, Rumour Scanner, and Fact Watch.
Din Mohammad Sumon Rahman, the head of the research team and director of CQS, noted a comparatively lower incidence of rumors during this election, with reduced conflict and communal violence. This decrease is attributed to diminished election-related tension, a predictable outcome, and low public enthusiasm. Although violence was limited, concerns arose over increased cases of defamation and interference.
Shuvashish Das Ray Dip, a research team member, highlighted the heightened attention people give to videos, emphasizing their ability to establish stronger connections. Video content spreads quickly, especially when downloaded from YouTube and shared on Facebook, contributing to increased income.
However, Md Sayeed Al-Zaman, an assistant professor at Jahangirnagar University, emphasized the growing prevalence of video-based misinformation due to the ease of obtaining information from this format.
He cautioned that while artificial intelligence usage may have been limited in this election, the future poses challenges, particularly with the likely increase in political disinformation through visual formats like Deepfake. The study’s results align with the trend of using political misleading information to tarnish opponents’ images or glorify one’s own party during Bangladesh elections.
Dr Shantanu Majumder, a professor in the Department of Political Science at Dhaka University, acknowledged the existing prevalence of election-centric disinformation, especially amplified by platforms like Facebook.
He suggested that while completely halting misinformation may be impractical, its reduction is feasible through awareness campaigns and behavioral changes, urging people not to unquestioningly believe everything they encounter on social media. Increased civic awareness and a sense of responsibility toward voting and suffrage are crucial components of this awareness effort.
