‘Misinfo-disinfo biggest challenge now’

Misinformation and disinformation have emerged as the biggest challenges in an era of information abundance, replacing the information scarcity of the past, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said.

“At a time of information overflow, misinformation and disinformation are being spread systematically to influence public perception,” he said.

The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a discussion marking the Department Day of the Mass Communication and Journalism Department at the University of Dhaka (DU) on Sunday.

DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr A B M Obaidul Islam and New Age Editor Nurul Kabir attended the programme as special guests at the Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury Auditorium.

Addressing various queries from students, Zahir Uddin Swapon on Sunday said, while information distortion was possible even during times of limited information flow, the risk has multiplied manifold.

Modern political processes often design disinformation campaigns to target swing voters and shift public opinion during national elections worldwide, making perception management a major battlefield.

Freedom of journalism remains a challenge, but the threat posed by fake and distorted news has taken up a far greater space. We are working sincerely to address this issue by leveraging technology and modern mechanisms despite our limitations,” he added.

Highlighting the professional security and dignity of journalists, the Info Minister said that many media outlets issue identity cards to journalists without offering proper salaries, leaving workers in vulnerable conditions.