Bangladesh’s Interim Chief Adviser, Dr Muhammad Yunus, called on Meta to look into what he has called a “disinformation campaign” that is affecting the political landscape of the country. This appeal came at his meeting with Miranda Sissons, Meta’s director for human rights policy, at the State Guest House Jamuna on Sunday.
Yunus pressed on about the impact of misinformation, saying, “There is a massive disinformation campaign, and we are the sufferers.” In response, Sissons outlined Meta’s human rights policy and reassured Yunus of the company’s commitment to vigilance against the misuse of its platforms in spreading false information.
The Chief Adviser also called upon Meta to develop its technology to better support young entrepreneurs. “Technology is a tool to make things happen. But it does not decide our actions; we must reengineer it to make it perfect,” he said. Yunus underlined the potential of Facebook as a platform for fostering entrepreneurship among youth, asserting that the government would continue to collaborate with Facebook for the benefit of Bangladesh’s younger population.
The Dhaka Tribune reported that several senior government officials and representatives from Meta were present at the meeting. In the past, the Bangladeshi government has dismissed claims of communal violence as distorted truths or fake news. Earlier, local media criticized India for allegedly “overreacting” to concerns raised about the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh.
