Social media rumour detection cell starts working this month: Tarana

State Minister for Information Tarana Halim today said the social media rumour detection and monitoring cell will start working within the current month of October, BSS reported.

“The government has formed a nine-member social media rumour detection and monitoring centre headed by the deputy principal information officer of PID (Press Information Department),” she told newsmen at the conference room of Information Ministry after an inter-ministerial meeting.

Among others, Information Secretary Abdul Malek, Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Abul Kalam Azad, and representatives from different ministries and law enforcement and intelligence agencies were present at the meeting.

“The cell comprised representatives from PID is likely to start monitoring the social networking sites round-the-clock by this month to prevent all sorts of rumours,” she also said.

“If necessary, a high-powered observation committee will also be formed to oversee the activities of the social media rumour monitoring cell,” Tarana informed.

“The cell has been entrusted with the task of informing the media which one is rumour and its main challenge will be to detect rumours,” she said and explained that false or untrue, or exaggeration of information which can destroy communal harmony, hamper state security or push the country into an awkward situation and divert a movement into another direction will be treated as rumours.

“Information ministry will later forward the detected list of rumours to BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission) via Post and Telecommunications Ministry to filter those. We can do it weekly or daily considering their importance,” the state minister added.

“A collective effort from the law enforcement and intelligence agencies, concerned ministries and organisations is needed to do the work properly,” she further added.