Safeguarding or Suppressing: Assessing Online Journalists’ Perspective of the Digital Security Act, 2018, During the Awami League Regime
Nadia (Nahrin) Rahman*, Sheriff Al Sire**, and Sanzida Sharmin*
* Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
** Department of Media Studies and Journalism, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Abstract
The expansion of online media and the increasing prevalence of cybercrimes have necessitated government intervention to safeguard digital spaces. Between 2018 and 2023, during the Awami League government, Bangladesh enforced the Digital Security Act (DSA) to address growing concerns about cybercrime and digital threats. While the law aimed to safeguard digital spaces, it crucially generated significant controversies, particularly among online journalists, and obstacles to press freedom. This study examines how online journalists in Bangladesh experienced the impact of the DSA over the five years. Applying the conceptual framework of “freedom of the press as a basic human right,” this research employed a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with twelve experienced (N=12) journalists from news organizations. A qualitative approach was used to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of journalists, which cannot be adequately examined through quantitative measures. This study investigates the challenges and obstacles participants faced under the act. Semi-structured interviews allowed participants to articulate personal experiences of fear, self-censorship, and legal pressure, providing in-depth insights that structured surveys or legal analysis could not address. The study also emphasized the need for a separate legal framework dedicated to online journalism. Overall, findings suggested that while the act addressed some online threats, it mostly curtailed press freedom and fostered fear and self-censorship among journalists.
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