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DURING the 1990s and afterward, with the widespread introduction of computers in the media and the use of satellite TV and radio, a vast number of people have entered the field of journalism. The development of technology in newsrooms brought information to people’s doorsteps. Today, social media platforms have become the fastest and most widespread means of disseminating news from any corner of the country. It can be said that news now travels straight from the source to people’s hands. However, this transformation has also created multiple crises. On the one hand, the lack of trust in interest-driven, censored, or controlled mainstream media has led many to view social media-based journalism as an alternative. On the other hand, journalism on digital platforms often lacks ethical standards and editorial policies or fails to follow them properly, resulting in serious social and political risks. In this reality, it seems inevitable that social media journalism must be restructured and redefined.

Australia-based journalist, researcher, and writer Martin Hirst, in his book ‘Navigating Social Journalism’ (2019), described social media-based journalism as a form of ‘social,’ ‘citizen,’ and ‘alternative’ journalism. According to him, such journalism exists outside the boundaries of traditional news industries and professional journalism. There are many untold stories excluded from commercial newsrooms, and from this very gap that ‘social journalism’ begins.

We also know that social media is essentially a ‘market’ where sellers profit greatly from advertising and sales. In the early 2000s, social media platforms became major tools for communication, social networking, and advertising. As individuals, institutions, and political and socio-cultural groups increased their activities on these platforms, news organisations also began establishing their presence there. Every type of media — from printed newspapers to television has become part of this market. Observing the activities of these outlets on social media reveals that many entered this space without adopting proper standards. Instead, they concentrated mainly on leveraging these platforms for commercial growth. Consequently, although the speed of information dissemination has increased dramatically, journalism also became riddled with misleading and biased content.

Under the Awami League’s authoritarian rule, up to 2024, journalists whose critical reporting gained traction on Facebook were routinely targeted and prosecuted under the Digital Security Act. Numerous political, social, and cultural activists — along with writers and even minors —Ìý became victims of the same law merely for expressing their opinions through Facebook. In contrast, such forms of

persecution are relatively rare in other parts of the world. Due to differences in national and cultural contexts, various platforms dominate different regions. In Bangladesh, news media primarily operate through Facebook and YouTube, whereas in the Western world, outlets are also extensively involved in Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Renowned Journalist Martin Hirst further analysed that in undemocratic or authoritarian states, social media-based journalism plays a crucial role as an alternative media. When the professional structures of journalism become ineffective, social journalism can help restore and sustain democracy.

His observation became visibly relevant in Bangladesh: in July 2024, when most mainstream media refrained from public interest journalism, it was through social and citizen journalism that truth came to light. Under orders from the ousted Awami League government and its leader, Sheikh Hasina, the internet was shut down, and print and television outlets were in a media blackout. During that time, brave citizens risking their lives recorded footage of the brutal killings and violence on their mobile phones. When those images later surfaced online, people learned the truth, and the call for an end to more than a decade long authoritarian rule reverberated in the country. This example clearly shows that it’s impossible to deny the significance and necessity of citizen and social journalism.

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Flow of news in social media

SOCIAL media and mainstream journalism have given each other new forms or structures. Now, the need is a proper integration of both. Unfortunately, in the country, social media is dominated by an environment lacking ethics and principles. Because anyone from anywhere can share information for any purpose, social media has become a massive platform spreading misinformation, incomplete, or intentionally biased, politically and ideologically motivated negative content. Its adverse effects are evident at all levels — from individuals to groups, society, and the state. In this scenario, news media could have been a trustworthy source of accurate information on social media platforms. Sadly, instead of using this opportunity to serve the public interest through journalism, nearly all news organisations have chosen social media as a commercial space. This isn’t a crime, but the crisis arises because business interests have overshadowed journalistic ethics. Controlled media, dominated by large business interests and advertising power, exacerbate existing conflicts in news flow with no solutions in sight yet. Meanwhile, as the world rapidly embraces information technology, there is no option but to operate through social media.

All mainstream newspapers, television, and online media outlets in the country are highly active on social media. For about ten years, print newspapers and TV media have been present online. In recent years, almost all news outlets regularly broadcast news via their own pages or channels on Facebook and YouTube. This has institutionalised the practice of ‘mobile journalism’ and established ‘digital media’ relying heavily on Facebook and YouTube. Essentially, the country’s newspapers now operate in three media forms: print, online, and digital; similarly, each TV channel runs three platforms: TV, online, and digital. Running an online news media requires registration with the ministry of information. Some have applied for approval, while many operate without permission. Currently, there are no government policies governing ‘Digital Media’. Whereas widespread misuse of likes, comments, and shares for commercial purposes is noticeable in news media.

In digital media practice, YouTube channels usually use two types of titles. One is a card title or thumbnail attached at or before the start of the video content, and the other is the description title. Mostly, these two titles are separate sentences. This method is not objectionable. However, many titles are insensitive and vague. Notably, one main goal of these practices is to generate views for commercial gain.

ATN Bangla News is the YouTube channel of the private TV channel ATN Bangla. The thumbnail title: ‘Ripon Mia does not give parents identity’ / ‘Calls his wife bhabi (Sister-in-law).’ The description title is: ‘Ripon Mia does not reveal parents identity, Shocking information emerges.’ The script claims the content is investigative. Ripon Mia, a carpenter and social media content creator, has protested against entering his modest home without permission to film such content. This is just one example of YouTube content from an established media outlet. Many such videos exist that are essentially not news.

Recently, on Facebook, media pages have proliferated the use of small card-format news snippets with minimal information. Usually, these cards contain a photo and a short phrase or a few words, directing users to click a link in the comments to read the full story. Sometimes a piece of the main news is extracted and promoted through these social media cards, making it unclear in what context or basis the quoted statement or information came. The result is frequent dissemination of information that sparks controversy and exposes individuals to harassment.

The image above was posted on the FB page of Prothom Alo, a leading daily newspaper, on October 19. The card’s headline reads: ‘Female media worker’s body found in the capital.’ Naturally, this headline suggests a murder or suspicious death. If the victim had been male, the issue of gender likely would not have been mentioned. The news was posted at 6:21 PM, while the incident had been widely discussed in political and social circles since morning. The actual event was a suicide, though with underlying causes. It was not a direct homicide. Thus, this headline wasn’t completely wrong, but vague.

On October 20, Ekushey TV’s FB page posted an objectionable social media card announcing the dismissal of a programme host. A red cross mark was used to signify the firing. The card read: ‘Due to serious misconduct, Somriddhwi Tabassum was dismissed from the popular podcast ‘Ayna’ by Ekushey TV authority.’ Such a portrayal of a woman led to a flood of sexually harassing comments in the comment box. Also, no news link was found in the comments. According to Ekushey TV’s online news, a partial clip of the programme was removed from the channel’s social media page by the host Somriddhwi herself, with the help of a coworker, without consulting the responsible authorities. If it’s true, this is unprofessional on her part. In fact, the TV channel displayed unprofessionalism by posting this partial and disrespectful card.

With the growth of digital media, news organisations now appoint Social Media Managers. Their professional duty is to maximise the visibility of content and reach netizens broadly. Using technical tools like ‘Open Graph Protocol’ and ‘Search Engine Optimisation,’ social media content and post designs are optimised to reach the largest audience possible. This strategy aims to increase likes, comments, and shares. All media entering digital platforms follow this method to grow their ‘view business’. Unfortunately, this is a volatile and unethical competition. To benefit from it, misinformation, partial, or biased content is deliberately spread. It’s also noteworthy that offensive or disrespectful language, mostly used in social media content, is generally not available in the same media company’s print and TV outlets. Thus, under the same ownership and policy-making authorities, the newspaper and TV produce normal news, but their digital arms intentionally promote targeted content to expand the commercial reach. Readers or viewers don’t have a real choice in deciding whether to consume this content; they’re indirectly forced to view it. Until now, control over likes, comments, and shares remained with the audience, but it’s uncertain what changes the future holds for these aspects.

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Future of journalism on social media

GLOBAL media experts emphasise that before implementing any regulations or codes of conduct for journalism, it is essential to fully consider the freedom of the press and freedom of expression. Any rules or standards should not obstruct the flow of news and information.

Alfred Hermida, author of ‘Exploring How Social Media Is Shaping Journalism’ and a professor at Columbia University’s School of Journalism, said in an interview, ‘Journalists’ concerns about the validity and accuracy of information on Twitter can be understood as an expression of an occupational culture that seeks to maintain jurisdiction over certain discursively, culturally, and epistemologically constructed formsÌýofÌýexpertise.’ Mark Deuze, a professor of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam, states, ‘Journalism is just one of the voices among many voices communicating with the public.’

There is no single global policy for managing social media-based journalism. Conservative governments in authoritarian countries have enacted regulations to control social media use, while others, especially European Union member countries, are promoting frameworks to preserve citizen journalism and pluralism. Because social media platforms and their governing rules are constantly changing, frameworks and guidelines for appropriate usage must also evolve.

I would like to return to Martin Hirst that alternative journalism is a counterpart to corporate journalism. According to him, social journalism primarily incorporates the concepts of citizen journalism, allowing both professional and non-professional journalists to collaborate. To prevent the misuse of social platforms, he suggested that citizen journalists should receive training in journalism-related skills.

Media scholars generally stand for social, citizen, and alternative journalism. They encourage established media outlets and organisations of media freedom and rights to enhance the sensitivity and skills of social journalism. A few international organisations working on journalist protection and rights have also started creating guidelines and training related to alternative journalism on social media, though these initiatives have yet to reach countries like Bangladesh. However, here, multiple government and non-government organisations are working to improve journalism standards. Many international bodies run projects based on journalism and freedom of expression. These organisations have both the responsibility and capacity to contribute to establishing the accuracy of social journalism in Bangladesh.

There was a time when a single news item could cause widespread public discussion lasting days or weeks. Neighbourhoods’ homes and local shops were engrossed in the TV news. But as the pace of information flow has increased, the importance of news has declined. Important information now gets lost amid the overwhelming flood of content. Readers, listeners, and viewers struggle to sift through excessive news to find the truth. No matter how significant the news, it fails to hold the public’s attention or influence society and government substantially. Governments issue only immediate responses, and media outlets quickly shift to chase new issues. Accepting this reality on social media, strategies to overcome this crisis is a necessity. Government and private initiatives must find ways to curb the misuse of social media. Media policy makers in the country cannot consider digital media merely a commercial platform. Guidelines must be established to ensure objectivity and transparency in digital social journalism and to bring citizen journalists under skill development and sensitivity training frameworks.

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Samia Rahman Preema works in the research and public campaign department of at Drik.