At present, the flow of online information is deeply affecting our lives, where it is very important to distinguish between truth and falsehood. Misinformation destroys social trust and threatens harmony. On November 23, 2024, Youth Assembly and WAVE Foundation jointly organized a workshop on “Fact Checking: Navigating Truth Amid Rumors and Misinformation” in the seminar room of the organization’s head office.
The workshop was organized as part of CIVICUS Global Perspectives 2024 and made the participants more efficient and confident by acquiring the necessary skills to combat misinformation in the digital age. More than 30 participants, including students of different public and private universities of the country, civil society members and representatives of voluntary organizations, took part in the workshop.
Fact-checking expert Shubhashish Dip of Fact Watch Bangladesh conducted the workshop. The workshop discussed various sources of misinformation such as text, images, videos and AI-generated content. Participants learned about tools such as reverse image search and AI video detectors. In the workshop, the participants were given hands-on practice to verify the information immediately.
“This training changed my approach to online content,” said a participants Sumaiya Akhter, a student from Eden Mohila College. “I am now more confident in tackling misinformation and developing responsible online behaviour.”
The workshop discussed the social impact of misinformation, such as hate speech and stereotyping. By learing various methods, including lateral reading and prebunking techniques, participants are made proficient in critical analysis abilities and prevention of misinformation.
“I have learned some strategies that will help not only me, but also my community, deal with misinformation,” said Arif Hossain, a member of the Youth Policy Forum. “This initiative is very important to build a conscious society.”
The workshop concluded with an interesting quiz competition and certificate distribution ceremony. Youth Assembly and WAVE Foundation will continue to organize such workshops to counter rumours and misinformation across the country.
