Mass awareness needed to ensure safe use of digital platforms: Speakers

Speakers at a policy dialogue underscored the need for creating awareness among the common people to ensure digital safety and positive use of digital platforms.

“Due to lack of awareness, many people are being victims of the cybercrimes,” said North South University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Atiqul Islam while speaking at the discussion at a hotel in the city on Saturday.

Echoing the idea, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar said there is no alternative for everyone to acquire digital skills to ensure digital security and positive use of digital platforms.

Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) organised the discussion titled: Safe use of digital platforms for promoting peace and democracy in society” with BEI president ambassador M Humayun Kabir in the chair.

Mustafa Jabbar said the new generation should lead the digital era and they need to be empowered with digital technology.

“It is similarly important to increase the digital capacity of the parents and teachers so that they can guide the new generation in the right direction,” he added.

Humayun Kabir laid special emphasis on the use of technology to build an inclusive society and create equal participation opportunities for all.

The event was also addressed youth and sports secretary Mejbah Uddin, Charles Whiteley, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, and BEI board member and Minhaz Group managing director Minhaz Kamal Khan.

Mejbah Uddin said that many steps have already been taken by his ministry to keep the youth free from the negative effects of information technology, especially social media.

He, however, said only the government initiatives are not enough to address the issue. He called upon civil society to work on this issue.

Charles Whiteley said that the European Union is already actively working on digital citizenship and other related issues in Bangladesh and is interested to continue the activities in the future.

It was informed at the function that in collaboration with the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the BEI implemented a 12-month project at the Sadar and Paba upazilas in Rajshahi District to create public awareness among the local youths and other important stakeholders such as teachers, journalists, religious leaders.

The project “Role of Technology in Strengthening Democracy” played a major role in creating awareness among the political leaders and women to ensure the use of digital platforms and digital security for peace and democracy.

It has also increased the capacity and awareness of youth and other stakeholders on the practice of mutual respect, respect for differences and diversity, tolerance, digital etiquette, digital citizenship, digital security and democratic values.

BEI Assistant Director Nipa Ghosh made a presentation on the project’s field level experience that shows that local youth and people of different professions use smart phones and digital platforms at a significant rate, but they lack necessary knowledge about digital etiquette, safe use of the Internet, checking fake news, preventing online fraud and harassment, practising democratic values on digital platforms.