Are we critical enough to assess the veracity of online information?

A few days ago on Facebook, I saw an image of a child with frightened eyes, half-submerged in floodwater in a rural area of Bangladesh. It immediately triggered my emotions and felt a rush to do something for these flood victims. Many others, like me, were moved by this very picture and came forward to contribute to the collective effort to combat the disaster. While the condition depicted in the image was true for many lives in the flood-affected regions, this particular image was not real. Later, I read numerous posts analysing the credibility of this photo, and nobody was completely sure whether it was genuine or generated by Artificial Intelligence. Admittedly, this photo prompted a good cause in the community, uniting many people to respond to the sudden flood in Bangladesh. However, there have been other incidents in the recent past during civil unrest, where false news on social media triggered people's anger and led to violence and expressions of vengeance. In recent years, there have been multiple instances of mob violence against minorities. However, numerous reports of attacks circulating on social media have been found to be inaccurate. As a result, it created tension and fear in the community, which could have been avoided. I cannot deny the devastating outcomes of the flood and the civil unrest, which were real. But are we critical enough to understand the gravity and authenticity of each piece of news that spreads on social media or on internet in general?

According to the World Bank data, around 40 per cent of the Bangladeshi population uses the internet, which is about 64 million people. For a vast majority, using the internet is equivalent to using social media, predominantly Facebook. Imagine the power of this aggregated number in forming opinions and influencing decision-making in the country! This digital era has witnessed an unprecedented proliferation of social media use, transforming how we communicate, share information, and connect globally. Recently, we have observed many incidents where the power of social media lay in its ability to amplify voices, mobilise communities, and influence public opinion on a massive scale. It has allowed anyone with an internet connection to become a publisher or influencer. One may think blocking free access to social media would stop or prevent the game-changing activities of this huge virtual crowd during any unrest. While blocking freedom of speech is detestable, the misuse of this freedom should also not be appreciated. Nevertheless, we can do very little to stop the mischief unless we really improve our morals. But we can educate ourselves to understand the validity of each of the media contents before spreading it to make it viral. So, here I drop the phrase "Digital Media Literacy".

Digital media literacy refers to the critical, effective, and responsible ability to access, use, understand, and interact with all forms of digital media. This is vital for ensuring that individuals can make informed decisions and contribute positively to the digital world. Digital media literacy addresses content including misinformation, malinformation, and disinformation. The example I gave earlier of the flood victim child was misinformation, which was not created or shared with the purpose of causing harm. But the example of the attacks on minorities was indeed misinformation, which may be based on fact but used to mislead, harm, or manipulate. Disinformation is consciously providing misleading information to manipulate a person or social groups. According to a U.S. government site, there are multiple steps to appropriately evaluate digital content. The first step is to thoroughly check the credibility of the source, including information about the author. Secondly, you can assess and inspect the URL or webpage to see if it is a true page. Thirdly, check the spelling and punctuation of the content to consider its authenticity. These errors can be effective tools to identify unreliable content. Fourthly, do research for fact-checking by searching for other similar content. Sometimes, we narrow our perspectives by following one particular piece of content, while reading from multiple sources may give us other perspectives to think through. Finally, think before you share. It's easy to make content viral by sharing wrong messages and stimulating people's emotions for the wrong reasons.

Having said that, incorporating digital media literacy into the curriculum of early education is essential in today's digital era. An editorial published in The Lancet in 2019 discussed the negative effects of social media on children's and young people's mental health. Without appropriate leadership, we also risk not protecting our youth's mental health. Introducing digital media literacy in their curriculum can work as a catalyst to support their mental health as well as equip them with the skills to communicate messages accurately and sensibly through digital platforms. This education will eventually empower professionals and researchers to harness the full potential of digital media. A recent systematic review published in 2023 by a Nature journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications explored the situation of digital transformation and digital literacy in higher education institutions and their impacts. This study concluded that new technologies are generating intricate environments that make digital literacy essential. However, there are very few studies which focused on media literacy. The authors emphasised the need to conduct more research on the critical capacity of validating contents of media users and content creators. Investing in today's youth by digital media literacy could give us an educated and well-informed nation in the future.

To recapitulate, the spread of misinformation or disinformation in Bangladesh is a complex problem that needs a strategic and well-coordinated response. Concerted efforts, including the provision of accurate information through reliable channels, building public trust, and promoting digital literacy, could be some of the immediate actions.

Aniqa Tasnim Hossain is currently working as a public health researcher at icddr,[email protected]