Yunus asks Meta to tackle fake news and misinfo on Facebook

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged Meta to take proactive measures to combat the spread of fake news and misinformation on Facebook in Bangladesh.
The appeal was made during a meeting with Sir Nick Clegg, Meta's President of Global Affairs, in Davos, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting on Thursday (January 23).
Professor Yunus expressed concern over the misuse of social media platforms, stating, “Oligarchs and politicians tied to former autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have siphoned off lakhs and crores of taka from Bangladesh over their 15-year rule. They are now using their wealth to spread lies and fake news against the country.”
Sir Nick Clegg reassured Professor Yunus that Facebook remains committed to fact-checking and digital verification in Bangladesh. He acknowledged the country’s significance as the eighth most populous nation in the world.
He clarified that the recent decision to halt Meta's fact-checking initiatives in the United States would not affect Bangladesh or European countries. Moreover, Clegg revealed plans to expand Facebook’s digital verification services in Bangladesh, with an experimental user-driven fact-checking model inspired by Wikipedia.
During the 30-minute meeting, Sir Nick also offered Meta’s expertise in cybersecurity legislation, emphasizing the company’s experience in this field.
Highlighting technological advancements, Sir Nick introduced Meta’s open-source large language model AI, Llama, which he said has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, agriculture, and education. He expressed optimism about its adoption in Bangladesh.
Professor Yunus proposed that Meta organize a month-long training program for Bangladeshi youth to equip them with digital skills and explore new opportunities. “This initiative could open up transformative possibilities for the youth of Bangladesh,” he said.
The meeting was attended by Meta's Policy Planning Director Probir Mehta, Bangladesh’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Coordinator Lamia Morshed, and the country’s Permanent Representative to Geneva, Tarek Ariful Islam.