Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said the government has taken initiative to amend the cyber security act (CSA) aiming to check rumor, misinformation and spreading of misleading contents through using defaming and artificial intelligence (AI).

“It is necessary to revise the CSA act as the existing act does not cover the arbitrariness of the contents which are being spreading on the social media by assassinating the character of country’s important political persons and their family members in the name of freedom of speech,” he said.

The minister said this at the Jatiya Sangsad while responding to a very urgent public important notice under section 71 of the rules of procedure, brought by ruling party lawmaker Helen Zerin Khan, with Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair.

He said the government is working to determine a new definition of ‘cyber space’ including all the platforms like social media, virtual media and online. The drafting of the new cyber security act has already been started.

Under the new act, he said new definition will be included for rumor, misinformation, defamation and confusing contents, saying that new provisions for punishment aiming to prevent and broadcasting of such defaming contents on the social media will be insert in the revised law.

The tendency of preparation of insulting, disgusting and defaming contents have been increased by using artificial intelligence, he said, adding that so, new provision will be included for creating more coordination with the international technological platforms aiming to ensure quick removal of these harmful contents from the social media.

Presently, the minister said no action is being taken at all in most of the time when any request is sent for removing these harmful contents. So, the mandatory option will be added in the proposed law to remove the harmful content in a specific timeframe, he added.

Similarly, executive power may be given to other government approved agencies and authorities along with the law enforcing agencies to remove and block the data and content from the social network. 

In this connection, he said it is under consideration to give authority to the national cyber security authority and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.

Replying to a supplementary query , the home minister said different international technological agencies including Meta in many times do not respond to the request sent from Bangladesh as the existing law has no obligation to remove any offensive content from the social network.

Citing an example of the neighboring countries, the Home Minister said some neighboring countries have compelled the Meta to take necessary action against the harmful media content within 24hours due to their legal framework. So, the new act will be included the provision which would compel the international platforms to take legal action, he added. 

Regarding the Public Gambling Act, 1867, the minister said the act is a colonial-era legislation that prohibits public gambling and the operation of common gaming-houses in South Asia and the act will be modernize through including the online, offline gambling and betting and the new act will be brought in the current session of the parliament.

Even the new narcotics control act will be enacted through strengthening and empowering the narcotics control department. Modern laboratory, training facilities, dog squad and necessary legal capacities also will be ensured in the new proposed act, he told parliament.