by Digitally Right | Apr 23, 2025 | Our work, Updates
Be it rumor, misinformation, or disinformation, the spread of harmful narratives is a global challenge. But in countries like Bangladesh, the stakes are even higher. With a growing dependence on social media as a prime source of information and low levels of media literacy, the ecosystem is particularly vulnerable. Factchecking initiatives are still limited, and traditional media outlets often fall short in their gatekeeping role, sometimes publishing news without thorough verification, leading to undermining public trust.
In this context, Digitally Right, in collaboration with The Asia Foundation and UK International Development, hosted the FactFest: National Factcheckers’ Convening 2025. The event brought together factcheckers from leading factchecking organizations and media outlets in order to address the issues regarding the information ecosystem and factcheckers’ role, making it the very first initiative of its kind in Bangladesh.
In the two-day event on April 20 and 21, 24 factcheckers from six organizations in the country came together representing AFP Factcheck, Boom Bangladesh, Dismislab, Rumor Scanner, FactWatch and Ajker Patrika.
Strengthening collaboration among factcheckers, sharing experience-based insights, building collaborative strategies to respond to several types of false information, and collectively addressing the challenges posed by disinformation in Bangladesh: these were the primary aims of the convening.
The first day of the event featured two critical panel discussions. The opening panel, themed “Fact-Checking, Trust, and the Road Ahead” attempted to evaluate the current information ecosystem, assess the state of fact-checking practices in Bangladesh, and identify the upcoming challenges and potential solutions. The second panel, “Rethinking our Response to Gendered Disinformation,” focused on existing and better approaches to addressing gender-based false information and Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated content.
In addition to the panel discussions, fact-checkers representing their respective organizations showcased some of their most impactful work and the challenges they faced throughout the process while others suggested their possible solutions.
The day concluded with a workshop titled “Strategies for Monitoring Misinformation and Disinformation Online,” which focused on practical tools and approaches for identifying and tracking false content across digital platforms.
The second day of the convening commenced with a focused group discussion on “Collaborative Strategies for Tackling Disinformation in the Upcoming Election.” Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving political landscape, the forthcoming election is anticipated to be one of the most pivotal and transitional moments in the country’s recent history.
Reflecting on the 12th National Parliamentary Elections held on January 7, 2024, panelists highlighted the widespread circulation of various forms of disinformation—from fabricated candidate withdrawal announcements to misleading reports about international endorsements or condemnations. That election was marked by lowest voter engagement in recent decades. In contrast, the factcheckers emphasized, with more stakeholders involved, the upcoming election is expected to be significantly more participatory, drawing greater public interest. In light of these developments, combating misinformation in the upcoming election will be even more complex.
The discussion delved into key challenges, potential threats, and the importance of collaborative, multi-stakeholder strategies to safeguard the integrity of the electoral information environment.
The two-day convening concluded with a comprehensive SWOT analysis session titled “Tackling Disinformation: Mapping Needs, Gaps, and Strategies.” The discussion highlighted key strengths and opportunities within the existing fact-checking ecosystem, while also identifying critical gaps and vulnerabilities that hinder collaborative and effective responses to disinformation.
While FactFest: National Factcheckers’ Convening 2025 may have been the first initiative of its kind in Bangladesh, it certainly should not be the last. The event set an important precedent for cross-organizational collaboration, strategic dialogue, and collective reflection on the evolving disinformation landscape. As misinformation continues to adapt and intensify—particularly in high-stakes contexts like national elections, protests, conflicts, natural disasters—ongoing engagement, resource-sharing, and capacity-building among fact-checkers will be mandatory.
We believe the convening served as a critical starting point, laying the groundwork for a more cohesive, evolving, and trustworthy information ecosystem in Bangladesh. The participants voiced a shared hope, an aspiration to keep this momentum going, encouraging more initiatives, strong collaboration, and effective networks to combat false information.
by Digitally Right | Apr 8, 2025 | Our work, Updates
We’re excited to introduce the Digital Safety School Resource Center, a one-stop hub designed to boost digital safety awareness and best practices. Over the last few months, our team has worked hard to create and gather valuable content, publishing over 23 insightful articles to help individuals and organizations stay secure online.
At Digital Safety School, you’ll find two full days of expert-led training sessions where our experienced instructors share practical knowledge and offer customized training packages tailored to your needs.
The Resource Center is packed with up-to-date insights on the latest digital trends and threats, making it easier than ever to stay informed. Every week, we release fresh guides, tools, and tips to help you navigate the digital world with confidence.
Our Resource Center covers essential digital safety topics to help you stay secure online. We provide practical guides on creating strong passwords, protecting your online privacy, and using secure, open-source tools. You’ll also find advice on avoiding phishing scams, online fraud, and data breaches, along with digital hygiene tips to keep your accounts safe.
We also share device safety guidelines and recommend easy-to-use tools to enhance your security in the digital world. All our content is published in simple, clear Bangla, making it accessible to everyone so you can learn how to stay safe in your personal and professional life.
Whether you’re an individual or part of an organization, these resources can help you understand the threats and ways to mitigate them to keep you safer in an increasingly connected world.
We encourage you to explore the Resource Center and make the most of the knowledge available. Let’s work together to create a safer digital space for everyone!
Visit the Digital Safety School Resource Center here: https://digitalsafetyschool.com/resources/
by Digitally Right | Feb 23, 2025 | Our work, Updates
South Asia, despite being home to one-fourth of the world’s population and a dynamic hub for tech innovation and burgeoning digital economies, has been consistently overlooked by global funders and tech corporations. Our region is often left grappling with the dual challenge of uneven policies of platforms and emerging authoritarian state regulations that increasingly undermine fundamental freedoms. The lack of context-specific protections provided by tech platforms adds to the unequal and unsafe online experiences for millions in our region, particularly among vulnerable communities. Furthermore, intermediary intervention in the South Asian region leads to a significant lack of meaningful engagement with the communities most affected by rapid technological proliferation and uneven governance.
In January 2025, Digitally Right (Bangladesh), Digital Rights Foundation (Pakistan), and Hashtag Generation (Sri Lanka) convened in Colombo and the Digital Accountability Collective South Asia (DACSA) emerged from a shared commitment to address pressing concerns regarding platform governance, accountability, and the broader impact of existing and emerging technologies in South Asia.
Our collective mission centers on ensuring that tech platforms operate in a manner that is transparent, equitable, and safeguards the rights of all users, particularly those from marginalized communities. We aim to present a unified voice from South Asia with a nuanced understanding of the impact of platform policies and stringent state regulations on our communities. The coalition also aims to learn, understand, contribute, and influence change at regional and local levels, and amplify the voices of civil society working on digital rights and tech justice across South Asia. DACSA will encourage collaboration among groups working in South Asia on digital rights in order to build a regional movement to influence platforms and state policies which are inconsistent with the international human rights framework. Together, we seek to create mechanisms that hold platforms and states accountable while empowering communities with skills, tools and frameworks to navigate the digital world safely and equitably.
As three organizations who have been working with stakeholders for the promotion of digital equity and safety in our respective countries for several years, we also represent and seek to highlight the combined weight that Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have in the South Asian tech space/audience. The coalition aims to come forth as the first step in a wider South Asian collective that brings together the concerns and wealth of experience of three organizations who have been working on the ground to foster equality and safety in online spaces and hold tech platforms accountable.
DACSA expresses grave concern over the growing trend among social media and tech corporations to enact drastic policy changes, reportedly influenced by commitments to align with the current US administration’s priorities. These shifts, which include delegitimizing fact checking and dismantling safeguards for marginalized communities risk exacerbating misinformation, political instability, communal violence, and democratic backsliding in regions like South Asia.
The erosion of accountability mechanisms, including protections for gender and marginalized identities, blatantly disregards the severe offline consequences of online hate speech and discrimination. By outsourcing enforcement to flawed user-reporting systems and abandoning proactive safeguards, tech companies disproportionately burden vulnerable communities already grappling with systemic harassment and violence. Such actions reveal a troubling prioritization of corporate and political interests over regional safety and equity. We urge all social media and tech companies to halt this dangerous trajectory and engage meaningfully with civil society to develop policies that prioritize user well-being. In South Asia, where digital platforms increasingly dictate political discourse and public safety for millions, the stakes of these profit-driven experiments are intolerably high.
As a collective, we at DACSA remain committed to closely monitoring the evolving digital landscape in South Asia and advocating for stronger, community-driven approaches to tech justice. We will continue to work collaboratively to ensure that the voices and experiences of those most affected are centered in shaping the region’s digital future.
by Digitally Right | Feb 2, 2025 | Our work, Research
Digitally Right is delighted to announce the publication of Technology, People, and Policy, a collection of research papers from the second cohort of the Tech Policy Fellowship. This volume showcases the diverse and impactful work of our fellows, who have explored critical issues at the intersection of technology, policy, and human rights in Bangladesh.
The research in this volume addresses a range of pressing issues. One paper examines cyberbullying among adolescents in Dhaka, focusing on the role of parental mediation. Another investigates the effectiveness of internet shutdowns in curbing misinformation, with a case study on the 2018 Road Safety Movement. Fellows have also explored the implications of discriminatory digital laws on gender-diverse communities, the rising threats of technology-driven human trafficking, and the risks to personal data protection in Bangladesh’s online passport services. Additionally, a study on digitalization in the microfinance sector highlights its impact on women borrowers, shedding light on both opportunities and challenges in financial inclusion.
This publication is a testament to the fellows’ commitment to fostering an open, inclusive, and rights-respecting digital landscape.
We extend our gratitude to our knowledge partner, Access Now, for their invaluable support. A special thanks to our mentors and editorial team for their dedication to refining these research contributions.
We hope these papers enrich policy discussions and inspire further research and advocacy in the evolving tech landscape.
Read the full publication below
by Digitally Right | Dec 30, 2024 | Our work, Updates
As we wrap up 2024, we at Digitally Right Limited find ourselves filled with gratitude and pride. This year has been a journey of growth, learning, and resilience for us. It’s only because of the collective efforts of our small but mighty team, the trust of our partners, and the unwavering support of our community that we’ve come this far.
Celebrating Community: This year, we’ve been honored to strengthen connections within the digital rights community. Through 4 digital rights discussions, 4 civic tech and tech policy workshops, and 7 digital security training, we’ve had the privilege of engaging with 192 remarkable individuals, including CSOs, activists, and journalists. Collaborating with you has been one of the most fulfilling parts of our journey.
Key Highlights
We have three core initiatives that drive our work: Dismislab, Digital Safety School, and the Tech Policy Fellowship. Here is a snapshot of what we achieved this year.
Dismislab had an eventful year, actively addressing disinformation during a politically turbulent 2024 in Bangladesh. It produced 183 articles, 10 newsletters, and a comprehensive research paper. Dismislab’s work was featured in 117 national and international media reports, with one research article recognized by the Global Investigative Journalism Network as exemplary data journalism work for that week it was published in. Its analysis on monetization of disinformation on YouTube also received widespread attention underscoring its vital contributions and presented in several conferences.
Digital Safety School, launched this year to equip individuals and organizations with skills to counter digital threats, conducted 7 training sessions, empowering 81 journalists and advocates. Inspired by the work we did under the Greater Internet Freedom (GIF) project, we launched the school as one of our core programs to support at-risk communities navigating digital threats effectively. Organizations like Committee to Protect journalists, Embassy of Switzerland and ACOS Alliance stepped forward to support the first rounds of training. We are thankful! In collaboration with Swedish Fojo Media Institute and Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka, in the coming years, we envision a long term sustainability of the School offering enhanced support to the community with localized resources, audits and necessary tools.
Tech Policy Fellowship concluded its second iteration this year, uniting a talented cohort of 7 young professionals to tackle pressing tech-policy and digital rights issues, resulting in seven impactful research papers. Accessnow and Meta has been a supporter of the program with knowledge and resources but what made it more meaningful is participation of major digital rights experts and organizations in the region as training facilitator and research mentor. This helps us to build a community of practice on tech policy and digital rights issues and get the fellows connected with their regional and global counterparts. While it attempts to provide knowledge to a group of diverse professionals, this program is a source of immense learning for us.
Partnerships
Our partners have been at the heart of our growth this year. We are incredibly thankful to them for supporting us in our work. We wrapped up the fourth and final phase of the GIF project this year, to which Internews and EngageMedia have been key collaborators. This initiative empowered us to host workshops tailored for CSOs and NGOs focused on digital rights. It also provided an opportunity to train members of the Cyber Support for Women and Children platform, where DRL is an active member, working to protect women and children from online violence. Our ongoing collaboration with Internews on the PORCH Project has given us the opportunity to conduct a multi-country study across India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka to assess the digital rights landscape, policy awareness, and capacity-building needs within the region. As part of this project we also contributed to the development of a game which aims to educate the youth and the marginalized communities on digital safety and responsible online behaviour. Our partnership with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) has allowed us to advance awareness and adoption of Civic Technology in Bangladesh. Through targeted workshops, we engaged young tech professionals, fostering a network of skilled individuals dedicated to adopting and promoting CivicTech solutions effectively. Luminate and Association for Progressive Communication (APC) has been pivotal in advancing our research on misinformation and disinformation, driving impactful initiatives that address these pressing challenges.
This year, alongside our collaboration with organizations, we have engaged extensively with activists and representatives from CSOs and NGOs through various training, workshops, and discussions focused on digital rights. DRL successfully organized four Digital Rights Discussions, attended by 75 participants, including activists and CSO representatives, fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration. We have also hosted a specialized training session for our eight Tech Policy Fellows, to broaden their understanding of global and local digital rights trends while addressing the challenges posed by state-level and platform-specific policies. Moreover, through our Civic Tech Workshop program, we reached 28 participants across three workshops, promoting awareness and encouraging the adoption of civic technology in Bangladesh. By the end of the year, our discussions, training, and workshops have made an impact on the lives of 111 individuals, of which 47% were women and 53% were men, reflecting our dedication to inclusivity and gender diversity, while maintaining a broad engagement across communities.
These collaborations have been instrumental in shaping our growth, enabling us to expand our reach, tackle complex challenges, and make meaningful contributions to the digital rights landscape.
Publications
Research is at the core of our work. In collaboration with the Media Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) and with support from The Asia Foundation (TAF), DRL published a study on the adoption of AI in Bangladeshi newsrooms. This study examines the current state of AI integration in the media sector, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and pathways for fostering innovation while promoting ethical use of technology in journalism.
Building on its commitment to advancing digital rights, DRL launched a policy brief series to address key priorities in Bangladesh, including digital inclusion, security, and freedom. Among these, a dedicated brief on AI Policy and Governance outlines critical considerations for establishing a framework that balances innovation with ethical safeguards and inclusivity.
Expanding networks
Digitally Right has proudly expanded its global reach by joining two esteemed initiatives: the Global Network Initiative (GNI) and the Sustainable Journalism Partnership. Our membership in GNI reaffirms our dedication to promoting freedom of expression and privacy rights in the digital age, while the Sustainable Journalism Partnership allows us to support sustainable journalism models, media literacy, and access to reliable information. These memberships mark significant milestones, providing platforms for advocacy, collaboration, and knowledge exchange to amplify our impact on the global stage.
This year, Digitally Right expanded its global presence by participating in 10 international forums and conferences. Notably, we attended training sessions on Digital Security and Rights Advocacy under the GIF Project and were part of five panels at Digital Rights Asia-Pacific Assembly (DRAPAC), represented by three of our team members.
Our participation extended to prominent events such as the Summit for Democracy, Meta Global Innovation & Policy Flyout, and Splice Beta among others. These engagements were invaluable learning opportunities and a testament to our growing influence. We are proud to see our organization thrive on international platforms and look forward to fostering further global connections.
Looking Forward
We step into 2025, with renewed determination. Our focus will be to foster the connections we have built along the way and expand the positive impact we’ve made in the digital rights community, and we can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together!
To our team: Thank you for showing up every day with passion and dedication. To our partners and community: Thank you for believing in us. Your trust and encouragement mean more than words can express.
Here’s to another year of learning, growing, and supporting each other!
