Fb expects Bangladesh to comply with int’l practices

Bangladeshi regulators wanting to directly control social media contents, including those on Facebook, would respect ‘international best practices’ on freedom of expression, expects Meta, the owner of Facebook.

The social media giant came up with the feedback following a New Age query over the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s move to formulate a set of regulations apparently to control digital, social media and OTT platforms.

BTRC published the draft of the regulations titled ‘Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Regulation for Digital, Social Media and OTT Platforms, 2021’ on February 3 and said it was working to finalize it by May 2022.

In the regulations, BTRC registration certificate was made mandatory for social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, to operate within the country.

In response to the query, a Meta spokesperson told New Age, ‘We cannot comment on the legislation as we are still reviewing the draft, however, we hope that any new rules for the internet in Bangladesh will respect international best practices on safety, privacy , and freedom of expression, and create an environment conducive to innovation, investment and growth.’

Under the draft regulations, the BTRC prepared a set of stringent code of conduct that would be mandatory for the users of these online platforms.

Besides, the commission also made it a must for the social media platforms as well as other online public platforms to take measures against the users in case of violations of the code of conduct.

The measures include blocking content as well as blocking users for the violation of the code of conduct.

Any instruction on the removal of content or disabling an account must be carried out within 72 hours.

Besides taking measures based on instruction the social media platforms also have to take down links or information or accounts prohibited under specific regulations.

The BTRC registered social media platforms, among others, will be liable to inform its users that it would not host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share any information which, among others, would threaten the unity, integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of Bangladesh, friendly relations with foreign states, or public order, or cause incitement to the commission of any cognisable offense or prevent investigation of any offense or insulting to other nation.

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