A discussion meeting titled “Preventing Rumours on Social Media” was held in Meherpur to build social awareness against rumors, fake news, and misinformation on social media platforms.
The meeting took place on Saturday at around 12:00pm at the office of the Meherpur district correspondent of Daily Kaler Kantho.
The programme was organised by the Meherpur district unit of Bashundhara Shuvosangho and was chaired by Rafiqul Alam Bokul, president of the organisation’s Meherpur district unit.
Yadul Momin, adviser to the organisation and Meherpur correspondent of Daily Kaler Kantho, spoke as the keynote discussant, while Mahbub Chandu, general secretary of the Meherpur District Press Club, attended as a special guest.
English writer and researcher and Vice President of Bashundhara Shuvosangho, MA Bashar, also addressed the meeting.
Other speakers included organisation members Sanwar Hossain, Rafiqul Islam, Sakib Hasan Rudra, Md Rafi Hasan, Yasir Yusuf Iman, Arshad Awsaf Rafi, among others.
Speakers said that society is currently living in an era of information technology and digital communication, where artificial intelligence (AI), social media, and digital platforms have made life easier, accelerated access to information, and opened new avenues of communication.
However, alongside these positive aspects, the misuse of technology is increasing at an alarming rate.
They noted that fake news, rumours, misleading videos, and distorted information are spreading rapidly on social media, often causing social unrest, hatred, communal tension, violence, and personal defamation.
The tendency to share information without verification on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok was described as a serious risk to society.
The speakers emphasized that sharing posts, videos, or news without understanding or verification is not only morally wrong but also a punishable offense under the law.
A single piece of false information, they said, can damage an individual’s reputation and disrupt social harmony. Therefore, citizens must use social media responsibly.
To counter rumours, the speakers highlighted several key measures, including verifying sources of information, avoiding the sharing of suspicious content, using fact-checking websites, reporting misleading content, and creating awareness within families and communities.
They also stressed the importance of providing digital literacy training to the younger generation.
The speakers expressed hope that such discussion meetings would play a significant role in raising public awareness and building strong social resistance against rumours and misinformation on social media.
At the end of the programme, participants pledged to use social media for positive purposes.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
