Experts and stakeholders discussed different possibilities and obstacles in using digital media in Bangladesh and suggested bringing positive changes in society with the responsible use of online media at a seminar on digital citizenship and freedom of expression at a hotel in the capital Tuesday.
Social enterprise Dnet organised the programme titled "Lesson Learnt Seminar on Fostering Responsible Digital Citizenship" was organised with the support of the European Union (EU) and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.
The success and learning aspects of the various capacity-building, awareness and advisory initiatives taken under the "Foster Responsible Digital Citizenship to Promote Freedom of Expression in Bangladesh" project and steps that need to be taken in the future were discussed.
University students, teachers, law enforcement officials, domestic and foreign development sector officials, lawyers, government officials and media workers were present.
UNB Editor Farid Hossain, Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat Additional Secretary Mahbooba Panna, and Sadik Hasan, associate professor of public administration at Dhaka University, were the panellists.
"Our sense of etiquette comes from the kind of etiquette we practice in real life and we get this education from our family. Nowadays due to changes in family structure, proper etiquette is not being developed and the effect is visible on online media," said Farid Hossain.
Read more: Mass awareness needed to ensure safe use of digital platforms: Speakers
Mahbooba said: "Just as it was made compulsory for everyone to have a Covid certificate after the arrival of Covid, can we not introduce digital citizenship certificates for everyone in this digital age?"
Sadik said: "Digital citizenship should be taken to the school level. But before that, it should be decided what will be taken to them, who will take it, how it will be taken."
M Shahadat Hossain, co-founder and executive director of Dnet, said: "Through the Foster Responsible Digital Citizenship project, many young people have been able to learn about exercising their rights safely in the digital world. Our goal is to ensure that youth express themselves within the confines of the law."
Fani Farmaki from EU Delegation to Bangladesh and Naira Nizam from Friedrich Naumann Foundation also spoke at the event.
The issues discussed at the seminar are also available at https://www.digitalcitizenbd.com where a few courses on digital citizenship are also being offered for free.
