Unveiling the Dark Side of Social Media: Disinformation Campaigns in Bangladesh
The Rise of a Digital Battlefield
In the run-up to Bangladesh’s January 2024 general elections, a new battleground emerged—not in the physical realm but in the digitized world of Facebook. This platform, once used primarily for social connections and communication, now serves as the front line for insidious political disinformation. Particularly targeted are women and minority communities, whose online presence is threatened by gender-based digital abuse.
The Study: A Closer Examination of Gendered Attacks
A recent study by the Tech Global Institute has thrown light on how coordinated social media attacks disproportionately target these groups. The comprehensive research analyzed nearly 25,000 Facebook posts, identifying a network of disinformation that exploits the platform’s vast reach. It unveiled that 70% of flagged gendered attacks involved sexual insinuations, while 18.6% were marred by discriminatory remarks based on religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
The Shortcomings of Traditional Frameworks
Traditional disinformation frameworks, primarily developed in Western contexts, falter when faced with Bangladesh’s complex digital landscape. According to The Daily Star, existing methodologies which rely mostly on English-language lexicons fail to capture the nuanced and evolving nature of abuse. The linguistic intricacies and the practice of code-switching, termed as “Banglish,” present challenges that generic algorithms cannot overcome.
An Ecosystem of Deception
Through opaque allegiances and deceptive narratives, social media networks in Bangladesh manipulate public opinion. Around 700 Facebook Pages masked as news outlets or community groups act as disinformation hubs, rapidly disseminating similar content across the platform. Disinformation tactics often involve altered images or deepfake videos to reinforce negative stereotypes and amplify harmful narratives.
The Human Consequences: Silenced Voices and Stigmatized Identities
This has real-world consequences, as 93% of targeted attacks are directed at individuals unaffiliated with the ruling Awami League. Such abuse not only silences dissent but also discourages future generations of women and gender-diverse individuals from engaging in politics. Despite legal frameworks like the Cyber Security Act 2023, enforcement remains inconsistent, placing an undue burden on the victims.
Platform Policies: A Call for Better Enforcement
Meta’s platform policies, intended to combat hate speech, provide some level of protection. However, the study criticizes the tech giant’s inconsistent enforcement, particularly within non-English content regions. The inability of automated systems to detect contextually-coded abuse perpetuates the problem, leaving victims with little recourse.
Bangladesh’s digital sphere remains in turmoil, with the social media platforms inadvertently becoming catalysts for political unrest and discrimination. As the country edges closer to its election period, the need for robust, localized solutions becomes ever more critical.
