Over 66 million people in Bangladesh are currently using social media, with the majority being young and digitally active (Data portal, 2023). The rapid growth of social media and online platforms has brought about significant changes in our lives. Communication has become easier, information sharing has increased, and new opportunities have emerged. However, these platforms have also introduced numerous challenges. People are facing online harassment, misinformation, unsolicited messages, hate speech, non-consensual sharing of images, and even deep fakes (AI-generated fake images). The misinformation spread on the internet is confusing people and dividing society. Additionally, the risk of personal data theft through social media and online account hacking has increased.

Women, children, adolescents, marginalized communities, and media professionals are particularly vulnerable to cyberbullying, misinformation, and various forms of online
violence and exploitation, and identity theft. The lack of digital safety awareness among the general population in Bangladesh often prevents women from reporting online harassment. These issues create fear and anxiety among women, children,
adolescents, and marginalized communities, and restrict their freedom to use the internet.

To address these challenges and leverage the benefits of social media and online platforms, the South Asia Center for Media in Development (SACMID), with funding from the Kingdom of the Netherlands Embassy, has initiated this project. The project primarily aims to raise awareness about digital safety among women, children,adolescents, youth, media professionals, and rural marginalized communities in three districts of Bangladesh and to encourage people to approach law enforcement agencies to take strict action against such crimes.