The government is set to introduce a “content filtering” mechanism, to prevent the spread of rumours and propaganda on social media.
Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology (ICT) Minister Mustafa Jabbar made the announcement after inaugurating the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) BTRC Asia-Pacific Regulators Roundtable-2018, at a hotel in Dhaka yesterday, reports UNB.
"Currently, we don't have any filtering mechanism on Facebook. Although we have a good relationship with Facebook, the company doesn't carry out all our requests, but sometimes it does," Mustafa Jabbar said.
Asked when the content filtering project would be completed, the minister said it had long been in the pipeline.
"Now, we have to implement it while taking into account the views of all stakeholders," he added.
"The government can take various steps, including the suspension of internet services, to ensure the safety of the state," said the minister.
"Currently, we have no option to filter (rumours) as Facebook maintains community standards according to American law," he added.
Meanwhile, Telecommunications Division Secretary Shyam Sundar Sikdar, ITU Asia and the Pacific Regional Director Ioane Koroivuki , and acting Chairman of BTRC Md Jahurul Haque addressed the roundtable, which is jointly organized by the Posts and Telecommunications Division and BTRC.
Around 130 representatives from the Asia-Pacific region, including telecom operators and ICT specialists, are participating in the two day ITU-BTRC Asia-Pacific Regulator Roundtable 2018.
Topics of discussion at the roundtable include digital transformation, eco-system for digital economy, barriers to digital connectivity development and solutions, broadband services, and the legal and regulatory framework for protecting customers’ data.
