The High Court has directed to remove fake news and video contents from Facebook and Youtube which are provocative and create unrest in public life.
A HC bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir on Tuesday passed the order after a primary hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.
The court directed the authorities of Facebook and Youtube and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to implement its order in two weeks.
Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Arafat Hossain Khan argued on behalf of the writ petitioners in the court.
Earlier on August 21, Barrister Khan on behalf of lawyer Nilufar Anjum and Barrister Ashraful Islam sent a legal notice to several people, including BTRC Chairman, Head of Public Policy (Bangladesh) of Facebook Sabhanaz Rashid Diya, Director General of Digital Security Agency and Inspector General of Police in this regard. Later, he filed a writ petition.
In the legal notice, the lawyer said they (respondents) have failed to monitor and control provocative posts on online and social media, which threaten the sovereignty and security of the state and the order of public life.
“False information has tarnished the image of the state, which is a violation of Articles 27, 31, 38 and 44 of the constitution. The posts have violated sections 30, 64, 76, 97A of Bangladesh Telecommunication Act and sections 8, 13, 16, 25 of Digital Security Act 2018 and section 46 of Information and Communication Technology Act.”
The notice also said, “Facebook and YouTube have recently been found not to be fully following their surveillance strategies. This is especially happening in Bangladesh.”