All contents published on social media will come under direct regulation of the government after September. Although it is not the government's intention to curb a citizen's freedom of expression, the authorities are tasked with ensuring that such speech does not encroach on another's rights. Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar said at an event in Dhaka's Shilpakala Academy organised by the Awami League to commemorate its 70th founding anniversary on Saturday.
While the government sought to stop the spread of dubious information on social media, including Facebook and Youtube, it was unable to do so with the desired immediacy. Jabbar said, despite having the ability to regulate websites, the government lacked the power to control posts on Facebook and YouTube, which was a matter of concern for the authorities.
"The problem is when a status is put up or a video is published on Facebook, there are no immediate recourses to regulate it," he said "This is because, mainly in the case of Facebook or YouTube, these are American companies. These platforms enforce the American community standard guidelines. We can't directly intervene as a result," Jabbar explained.
He continued, "The good news is that after the month of September, we will have the ability to directly intervene. Therefore, no-one will be able to use or publish information on social media on a whim."
