18th Asia Media Summit ends with pledge to enhance social media’s role

The four-day 18th Asia Media Summit-2023 concluded on Thursday with a pledge to undertake various steps to face challenges of spreading wrong, misleading and false information through the social media.

To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday by the member countries with a goal to enhance responsibility of the social media as the summit begins at Bali in Indonesia on May 22, an official release said on Thursday.

BSS adds: Leaders of the member countries under the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) including Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud from Bangladesh signed the MoU.

“With due responsibility, the social media will have to motivate the people with a view to uphold the values of accurate information, transparency and honesty”, said the MOU, adding that even the AIBD member countries must have to take initiatives to ensure accountability of the owners and partners of the social media aiming to resist spreading of wrong, confusing and false information.

Even the representatives of different countries and regions also have signed the MOU agreeing on the undertaking of joint and regional actions if necessary by keeping respect on freedom of speech, freedom of newspapers of respective member countries, international human rights, due process and transparent policy, said the release.

The Asia Media Summit is an annual event for all media broadcasting agencies in Asia Pacific region to share their thoughts on broadcasting and information.

More than 500 representatives including decision makers, media professionals, intellectuals and news and program stakeholders from 40 Asia Pacific, African, Europe, the Middle East and North American countries and regions attended the conference.