Bangladesh is following the path of India in controlling Facebook-YouTube

[Black_cats]

Bangladesh is following the path of India in controlling Facebook-YouTube​

Mehdi Hasan
Published: 20 February 2022, 02:34

If necessary, BTRC wants the ability to remove content from digital platforms, including FacebookPhoto: Reuters

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has drafted a new regulation to regulate 'digital, social media and OTT platforms'. The draft was published on the commission's website on February 3, calling for observations, opinions and recommendations. The feedback period ended last Friday.

The purpose of the proposed regulation is to strengthen the control of government agencies over the content of digital platforms. Ensure that owners of services such as Facebook and YouTube do not have to wait for the removal of any content in an emergency. With this many more aspects have come up. You can see the main points of the regulations here .

This article is mainly about the '6.03' part of the draft. The section contains instructions on messaging services such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Messenger. It has been said that if the court or the BTRC orders, the identity of the first sender of a message has to be revealed.

The thing is, suppose someone shares false information on a topic of public importance in a WhatsApp group of many members. Then the information spread from one person to another — thus disrupting the security of the state. Now, if the BTRC directs, the first person who has shared the message of false information has been asked to reveal his identity in the presented draft. If the person is outside the country, the person who first shared the message inside the country must be identified.

Guidelines for messaging services in India IT Rules 2021 Photo: Website of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of India

Last year, such a regulation was added under India's Information Technology Act of 2000. Even though the name is extended, it is known as 'IT Rules, 2021'. It was formulated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with the Central Government of the country.

By publishing the regulation on February 25, 2021, the big IT companies were given three months to work accordingly. That regulation, like the BTRC, states that content must be removed within 36 hours if it receives instructions from the court or the appropriate authority appointed by the central government. In order to coordinate the work and receive complaints, the organizations are asked to appoint staff in certain positions. These workers will be based in India.

There are exact instructions on messaging services or messaging platforms — court orders that the first sender of a message must be identified.

Instructions for messaging services in the draft BTRC regulations. Photo: BTRC website

Apparently, most of the BTRC's draft regulations seem to be taken directly from India's IT Rules, 2021. This, of course, is not surprising. BTRC lawyer Khandaker Reza-e-Rakib himself said that the policies of India, Singapore, England, Malaysia and Thailand were considered during the drafting process.

However, after the introduction of the new IT rules, WhatsApp filed a case against the Indian government in the Delhi High Court in May last year, calling it "unconstitutional". The message exchange service, which is owned by Meta Platforms, said that to identify the first sender of a viral message, 'end-to-end encryption' must be broken, which threatens the security of user information.

According to WhatsApp, any message sent through the app is not visible to anyone except the sender and the recipient. Not even WhatsApp authorities. That is why it is called end-to-end encrypted. Under the new rules, the encryption of all messages sent to WhatsApp will become invalid if the source of a message is to be identified. This will increase the risk of users' privacy being violated.

At that time, WhatsApp put another question. Even if the government of India wants, the governments of other countries of the world will not allow the search of source or introduction of traceability. In that case, how can anyone in Europe have a smooth conversation with his Indian friend on WhatsApp? One side has encryption, the other side does not, it can no longer be.

The Indian government, however, has said that it is possible to enable traceability without breaking encryption. In that case, the companies may have to introduce new technology. And the new rules are in the interest of the safety of ordinary users. In addition to this, the common questions of the people have been answered. However, not everyone could be satisfied with those answers. Human rights groups, as well as the general public, have expressed concern about the erosion of online freedom of speech.

ফেসবুক-ইউটিউব নিয়ন্ত্রণে ভারতের পথেই হাঁটছে বাংলাদেশ

‘ডিজিটাল, সোশ্যাল মিডিয়া ও ওটিটি প্ল্যাটফর্ম’ নিয়ন্ত্রণের জন্য নতুন একটি প্রবিধানের খসড়া পেশ করেছে বাংলাদেশ টেলিযোগাযোগ নিয়ন্ত্রণ কমিশন (বিটিআরসি)। ৩ ফেব্রুয়ারি কমিশনের ওয়েবসাইটে সে খসড়া প্রকাশ করে পর্যবেক্ষণ, মতামত ও সুপারিশ আহ্বান করা হয়। মতামত প্রদানের সময় শেষ হয়েছে গত শুক্রবার।

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[Shehryar Ashraf]

like father like son.
the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

 

[Black_cats]

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION​

Facebook expects Bangladesh to follow int’l practices​

Staff Correspondent | Published: 01:01, Feb 15,2022

Facebook expects Bangladesh to follow 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...

www.newagebd.net

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 finalise 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 offence or prevent investigation of any offence or insulting to other nation.

 

[Bilal9]

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION​

Facebook expects Bangladesh to follow int’l practices​

Staff Correspondent | Published: 01:01, Feb 15,2022

Facebook expects Bangladesh to follow 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...

www.newagebd.net

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 finalise 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 offence or prevent investigation of any offence or insulting to other nation.

They are essentially trying to get Facebook, Twitter etc. to conform to the controversial local anti-blasphemy law in Bangladesh.