Social media platforms have created a business model where hate speech, misinformation, and provocation are directly incentivized by revenue, said Mahfuz Anam, Editor of The Daily Star, on Saturday.
Speaking at a session of the ‘Bay of Bengal Conversation’ organized by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at a hotel in the capital, Mahfuz Anam highlighted the dangers of unchecked digital narratives.
“The more hateful the comment, the greater the factual deviation, the more lies, and the more provocative the writing against someone—the more clicks it gets, and the more revenue it generates,” Mahfuz Anam observed.
He argued that under the guise of freedom of expression, social media is effectively funding hatred, confusion, and falsehoods. He termed this phenomenon the “danger of lies” in the changing global reality and urged the country’s policymakers and leaders to recognize this threat.
While acknowledging that social media has democratized the flow of information, allowing every individual to voice their opinion, Mahfuz Anam pointed out its inherent flaw. “The negative side is that these opinions are largely not fact-based, not knowledge-driven, and often lack logic,” he said.
Global Stability and the Knowledge Economy
Participating in discussions on “War, Fragile States, and the End of Global Stability” as well as “Artificial Intelligence and the Threat of Disinformation,” Mahfuz Anam emphasized the critical need for global stability for smaller nations like Bangladesh, particularly for economic survival.
“For a developing country like Bangladesh, knowledge, skills, and experience are our most valuable assets,” he stated. “We cannot compete with the world in terms of financial or military power; our only competitive edge lies in knowledge and skills. However, in this era of populism, we are rapidly moving towards a terrifying reality.”
Touching upon global trade wars and economic fluctuations, Mahfuz Anam warned that the future world is poised to become increasingly dramatic and unstable. He stressed the importance of deeply understanding Bangladesh’s geopolitical position and economic capabilities in this context.
The Education Crisis
The Daily Star Editor also critically analyzed the domestic education sector. He questioned why the quality of primary and secondary education in Bangladesh has failed to improve under successive governments.
“We need to ask—where is the quality of our graduates and post-graduates? We are doing the greatest damage to ourselves by not investing adequately in research,” Mahfuz Anam said, citing China’s massive investment in education and research as an example to emulate.
He expressed concern that the nation has yet to fully grasp the importance of knowledge in shaping the future. “We are not investing in knowledge,” he lamented, noting that the education system is neither of sufficient quality nor internationally competitive.
While acknowledging that some private universities are performing well, he raised concerns regarding the overall lack of investment in research.
“The future of Bangladesh will depend on a knowledge-based economy,” Mahfuz Anam concluded, warning that failing to prioritize this sector now could lead the nation toward a form of “mental colonialism” in the future.
