Content-based filtering is an important factor

At the heart of Bangladesh's relentless progress in building a society and a nation from agriculture to workforce and from workforce to knowledge is the goal of achieving Digital Bangladesh, a dream that is now a reality. Digital connectivity and infrastructure, human resource development, development of ICT industry and establishment of e-governance are one of the key requirements for the implementation of Digital Bangladesh to accelerate the development of the country, whose irresistible development is termed as digital renaissance by experts. 

To this end, through the use of information technology to establish a knowledge-based economy and good governance, and to ensure the best use of the information technology sector in the implementation of the plan, we need to work continuously, keeping in mind the vision of establishing good governance through infrastructure development, creating skilled human resources, creating beauty and establishing online services.

The need for content filtering and monitoring is increasing in the socio-economic context of Bangladesh. The reasons are as follows: Prevention of false information and rumours - The spread of false information and rumours through social media is a major problem in a country like Bangladesh.

The spread of misinformation, particularly about the political situation, social unrest and religious sensitivities, creates confusion among ordinary people. Content filtering and monitoring will help detect rumours and false information. Development of education - The field of education in Bangladesh is evolving more and more and is constantly incorporating new technologies. However, the pace of development of the education system is still far behind. To overcome the country's economic, social and technological limitations, the use of modern technologies in education is very important. Content-based filtering is an important factor for the education system in Bangladesh.

With the expansion of information technologies, sharing information on digital platforms around the world has become easier. As a result, education systems, social media and different types of content management have had to face new challenges. Content-based filtering, monitoring and evaluation can play a very important role in meeting these challenges. The analysis, verification and control of information have become essential aspects of today's digital age, particularly in educational systems and social media.

Content monitoring helps to detect and prevent unnecessary, harmful or illegal content (hate speech, hate, provocative audio-video, pornography). It is particularly used for social media, e-learning platforms and online broadcasting services, where information circulates freely. Content evaluation is the process of checking the quality and validity of shared content. It ensures the acceptability and accuracy of information provided by users. It is used on various platforms to check facts and prevent rumours and misinformation.

Content-based filtering is very important among the various filtering methods. Content-based filtering is a type of recommendation process, in which new content (images, information, audio-video) is suggested based on the user's interests and previous activities. The success of content filtering and monitoring in countries around the world is remarkable, and its use has become undeniable.

This method basically analyses the user's preferred content and then applies an appropriate filtering method to display the new content. It works on the basis of user activity or browsing using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.The success of content filtering and monitoring in countries around the world is remarkable and its use has become undeniable. USA: Several social media platforms in the USA, such as Facebook, X platform (ex-Twitter) and YouTube, use advanced AI technology for content filtering and monitoring.

They have their own policies and strategies for filtering and removing rumeurs, false information and hateful comments. During the elections in various countries, Facebook and Twitter used machine learning technology to identify false information and "fake news" and filter content. In China, the government strictly regulates the control and filtering of content. Internet use is strictly controlled and no information can be disseminated without government approval.

The Chinese government blocks illegal and unnecessary content using a firewall technology known as the "Great Firewall". In European countries, filtering and content control are used for cyber security and personal data protection. The European Union specifically monitors digital services to prevent the spread of false information and harmful content on social media. The protection of personal data and privacy is guaranteed by the "General Data Protection Regulation" (GDPR).

In the socio-economic context of Bangladesh, content filtering and monitoring is increasingly necessary for the following reasons Prevention of misinformation and rumours - The spread of misinformation and rumours through social media is a major problem in a country like Bangladesh. The spread of false information, particularly about the political situation, social unrest and religious sensitivities, creates confusion among ordinary people. By filtering and monitoring content, it will be possible to identify rumours and false information.

Development of education - The education sector in Bangladesh is constantly evolving and incorporating new technologies. However, the pace of development of the education system is still very slow. To overcome the country's economic, social and technological limitations, the use of modern technologies in education is very important. Content-based filtering is an important factor for the education system in Bangladesh.

Need for an individualised education system: Bangladesh's education system is still based on conventional curriculum-based teaching. Students may have different learning styles and interests. Content-based filtering can bridge this gap. It is able to provide educational material tailored to each student's learning style. Providing specific educational content based on topics of interest to students will increase student engagement and improve learning.

Finding the right content from a wide range of educational content: There are thousands of educational content items on the internet, and finding the right information can sometimes be costly and time-consuming. Content-based filtering relieves users of the difficulty of finding the content that interests them and displays the right educational content.Growth of digital education: Digital education is booming in Bangladesh, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the trend towards online education has increased. Content-based filtering allows students to engage more effectively with online learning platforms, where they can access new, high-quality educational content according to their interests and needs.

Cybersecurity and prevention of pornography: Minors can easily be exposed to pornography and other harmful content on the Internet. Content filtering and real-time monitoring help to control the flow of pornographic and harmful content on online platforms. Content filtering and real-time monitoring In today's social context, it is undeniable that content filtering and monitoring are necessary to prevent the free circulation of pornography, to ensure the proper emotional development of children and adolescents and to facilitate the exercise of the parental role.  Filtering is useful for creating a personalised learning experience for pupils. Students are able to gain a deeper understanding of the subject when fresh content is provided based on the topic that interests them most.

 In this way, each student can get the educational content they need according to their interests and abilities. By adjusting the filter, teachers can also provide their students with the information and educational research they need, helping to improve the quality of education. Data analysis and verification: Content-based filtering and control enables user data to be analysed and verified. They help maintain the quality of information in the education system and play an important role in preventing false information.

Cybercrime prevention: Cybercrime is on the increase on the Internet. Content control can be used as a preventive measure against cybercrime, such as hacking, disinformation and malicious activities. Application of content filtering and monitoring in the context of Bangladeshi schools, colleges and universities: The application of content filtering and monitoring in the Bangladeshi education system is possible.

Although the country is still lagging behind in terms of technology, the use of digital solutions is essential for the development of the education system. At the school level: Schools provide students with a wide variety of educational content. But pupils learn better if they receive content tailored to their needs and interests. Content filtering will make it possible to show students the right content and block harmful content.

Higher education students are interested in a wide variety of subjects and need specialist content. With content filtering, they can easily obtain the information and research content they need, which will improve the quality of their education. In addition, it will be possible to prevent the spread of any kind of false information or harmful content thanks to content monitoring. At university level, students are trying to acquire in-depth knowledge of specific subjects. With content-based filtering, they will be able to obtain the right information from various research papers, articles, books and lectures. It can facilitate research activities and make the necessary resources available to students.

Content filtering and monitoring to prevent rumours and false information on social media: The phenomenon of spreading rumours and false information on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. is very common in Bangladesh. This information can be controlled using content monitoring and filtering technologies. Curbing rumours: The spread of rumours through social media is a big problem. For example, during the Corona pandemic and the current student movement, various parties confused the public by spreading false information and rumours. Thanks to content control and filtering technologies, it will be possible to detect rumours before they spread.

Preventing false information: The authenticity of any information can be verified through content control and evaluation. Using AI-based filtering technology to detect false information will make it possible to block fake content. Preventing pornography: Minors can easily be exposed to pornographic content on the internet, which is psychologically and socially damaging. Content filtering, monitoring and evaluation technologies can block pornography and other harmful content on the Internet.

Challenges and solutions in implementing content filtering, monitoring and rating technologies in Bangladesh: There are some challenges in implementing content filtering in the socio-economic context of Bangladesh. Implementation can be somewhat difficult, particularly due to the lack of technical infrastructure, Internet equipment and appropriate technologies in the country's educational institutions. Internet access remains poor in rural areas, so content-based filtering may be less effective there. The lack of an adequate, trained workforce and the implementation of such advanced technology are difficult to achieve without policy formulation. Bearing in mind issues such as the free flow of information, the right to information and freedom of expression in a democratic country, It is difficult, but not impossible, to formulate filtering and monitoring policies on the basis of usefulness. All stakeholders need to coordinate in this respect. Government IT departments, the Ministry of Communications, the BTRC, Internet service providers, network experts, the IT industry, IT experts (software and hardware), socio-economic analysts, education analysts, legal security analysts and parents must all be involved simultaneously in this process. 

It is clear that the use of content-based filtering, monitoring and evaluation will play a very important role in Bangladesh's education system and social media. Its effectiveness in providing quality and relevant content to students and preventing rumours and misinformation on social media is immense. But this requires integrated policies, legislation and proper implementation.

The writer is a Geneva-based private banking compliance security expert, columnist and poet.