According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), there are 80million people use internet in Bangladesh till January 2018. Among the huge number of internet users, 75 million people use internet through their mobile phone. Youth, specially students from different university/colleges are extensively connected through internet. Unfortunately, internet is full of fake news, terrorist messaging, hate speech, cyber bullying and many other digital threats. Young people often fall victim of these threats, which is also a global problem nowadays that could lead young people in depression, violence and destructive activities. Internet literacy and social media etiquette are not properly taught in this country beside the rapid growth of internet users in the country.

The activity targeted female students and female teachers/staffs beneficiaries who were mainly engaged in different university-based clubs/career counselling centers in order to empower them with knowledge of internet safety. Three different type of higher educational institutions had been selected such as Jagannath University as a public university, BRAC University as private university, and Institute of Science and Technology (IST) as a representative institution under National University. All of the beneficiaries were selected based on their influence and communication capabilities to their peers, friends and others as if they could convey the learning further.

This activity conducted workshop on internet safety and social media etiquette for the female students, teachers and staffs who were engaged in different university-based clubs of 3 universities in Dhaka city. It is observed that internet spaces became a place for trolls, hate speech, cyber bullying and many other digital threats including terrorist messaging. Bangladesh have a rapid growth of internet user, which already crossed 80 million, although most of these users do not have sufficient knowledge on safer use of internet. USAID’s Obirodh: Road to Tolerance Program provided fund to Preneur Lab to implement this project.

The project developed content, and content validation meeting, designed and created infographic and distributed this to universities. Then the workshop for female university students conducted. The project end up with a final report.