Photo : Messenger
At the outset, I wish to reflect briefly on a fable from my childhood that relates closely to an issue that strikes a chord, bringing the hidden realities of digital fraud to light. Specifically, it reminds me of the heartbreaking incidents of obscured digital generosity and dishonest charity that affect children and elderly people in Bangladesh. Different happened than posted!
Imagine, if you please, the story of the mother crocodile with ten kids. She wished earnestly for their education. Along comes the sly Fox, pretending to be kind-hearted and offers to teach the young kids without expecting anything in return. How kind and benevolent Fox was acting!
Underneath this seeming act of generosity by the fox hid a darker truth. The trusting mother Crocodile remained obliviously at risk to the cunning Fox’s guile. The Fox’s tutoring didn't originate from genuine compassion but rather from a self-centered aim to take advantage of her innocence. It was a clever ploy to satisfy his hunger with the minimum effort extended. The moral revealed how the astute Fox used trickery after consuming nine kids, displaying the tenth repeatedly to the mother to fabricate the illusion of larger numbers. Thus, the clever fox could deceive the unwary mother crocodile through crafty manipulation.
This story imparts a potent lesson that resonates with our complex digital era and the purported humanitarian efforts accelerated by social media platforms such as Facebook. It serves to caution against online generosity’s most treacherous guises, where seemingly altruistic deeds risk shrouding oblique aims. In today's digital sphere, some social media influencers purport to assist the vulnerable through charitable posts. However, their true intent frequently stems from self-promotion, which involves manipulating emotional reactions and the number of beneficiaries, analogous to the cunning Fox's tricks.
People frequently believe these posts, especially those of expatriates, leading them to either open their wallets or share them widely within their circles. Emotional language, heart-wrenching images, and endorsements from other users can easily convince anyone. While genuine benevolence surely exists, those who orchestrate publicity around charitable acts may have self-interested intentions beyond aiding those in need. They also hide their intention of easier ways to make money, like the way the fox received the baby crocodiles in its cave. When incidents of disguised online charity or fraudulent fundraising emerge, it is critical that we open our eyes to distinguish transparent intent from concealed deceit.
By weaving together, the threads of this fable and the troubling experiences of social media fraudulent in Bangladesh, we can better understand the importance of scrutinising the intentions behind ostensibly generous acts. Some social media influencers’ recently launched high-profile crowdfunding campaigns, claiming to raise funds for medical care, food, education, and shelter for the destitute children and the elderly. With millions of followers, their emotional posts featuring videos and photos resonated with thousands of compassionate Bangladeshis who moved to support these purportedly noble causes.
However, investigative journalism revealed the true motives behind such campaigns were less virtuous than portrayed by social media. The actual use or non-use of funds for those in need exposed the deceptive nature of these influential figures’ intentions. Revealing manipulation on such an influential scale must have shocked the nation. Such revelations serve as signposts to how readily virtual acts, seemingly kind-hearted, can shroud alternative aims without confronting sentiment with substantiating data.
Investigative reports have also demanded that the identities and actual circumstances of people featured in these campaigns were, in some instances, fabricated. They also discovered that staged photos and the exploitation of innocent people’s images without consent inflated the numbers of supposed beneficiaries. Furthermore, evidence indicates that a substantial portion of the funds raised, amounting to millions of Bangladeshi taka, were embezzled for personal use, including luxury goods and property acquisition. As seen in the recent example from Bangladesh, even the most seemingly virtuous social media campaigns soliciting disaster or medical donations may not be all they appear on the surface. It is understandable that revelations of such brazen deception would discourage contributors from future online donations—a detriment to helping reach those truly in need.
We must weigh both the benefits and unintended consequences of this expanded digital philanthropy trend. As noble as online charity may seem in theory, if intentional obfuscation remains unchecked, there endure opportunities for unscrupulous exploitation through emotional manipulation and fraud.
As Bangladesh strives to alleviate poverty and healthcare concerns, individuals sometimes rely on philanthropy and humanitarian initiatives. Indeed, it is crucial for transparent and trustworthy organisations to conduct charitable work in tandem with government programs and initiatives to assist those in need. However, valid questions arise: if fraudulent and deceptive online charitable practices persist, will people feel motivated to assist those with genuine needs in the near future? Does this not endanger the long-term sustainability of lawful charitable organisations and grassroots community projects?
Therefore, we must take decisive steps to combat the scourge of disguised philanthropy and restore faith in the noble spirit of charity. Crucially, we need a united effort from the government, civil society, and the general public to confront these ugly faces of digital charity campaigns.
Given the genuine concerns raised regarding ‘obscured generosity’ enabled by digital platforms, several remedies should be pursued by the government and the public to address these issues:
Establish a regulatory body or dedicated department: Create a governmental regulatory body specifically tasked with overseeing and monitoring online fundraising campaigns and crowdfunding platforms. This body would be responsible for setting guidelines, vetting campaigns, and ensuring compliance with regulations.
Setting clear guidelines and standards: Formulate clear guidelines and standards for online fundraising campaigns, covering aspects such as permissible fundraising methods, acceptable use of funds, disclosure requirements, and ethical practices.
Endorsement and approval process: Develop a framework where online fundraising campaigns must receive endorsement or approval from the regulatory body before being launched or circulated to the general public. This endorsement could be granted after a thorough review of the campaign's legitimacy, financial projections, and compliance with regulations.
Transparent reporting and auditing: Mandate regular reporting and auditing of funds raised, expenditures, and beneficiary details from registered campaigns and platforms. This information should be publicly accessible for transparency and accountability.
Strict penalties and enforcement: Impose strict penalties, including fines and legal consequences, for individuals or organisations found guilty of fraud, misrepresentation, or misappropriation of funds raised through online campaigns. Establish a robust enforcement mechanism to investigate and prosecute offenders involved.
Strengthen social safety net: Admittedly, the government has increased budgetary allocations for all social safety net programs aimed at uplifting the destitute through a comprehensive package of cash, food, housing, and health services. Under this program, the government should prioritise child and elderly care to ensure that no one falls behind or becomes vulnerable to social media influencers.
Increase formal elderly care centres: With an increasing life expectancy, the number of elderly people seeking care should also rise. Therefore, if possible, establish at least a dedicated elderly care center in each district. This will ensure that vulnerable elderly people do not become victims of so-called charity organisations.
Public awareness campaigns: Accelerate public awareness campaigns to educate individuals about the risks associated with online fundraising campaigns, the importance of due diligence, and the availability of official channels for reporting suspected fraud or misconduct. We should encourage people to direct abandoned or destitute individuals, such as children and the elderly, to government facilities instead of organisations that use misleading imagery and false portrayals to promote their purported services on social media. People also should not share such superficial posts. Before donating money, people should examine the organisation's true operations, not its social media followers, because social media influencers may hire dedicated personnel and spend money to inflate their page and followers. The number of likes and followers may not reflect the organisation or platform owner.
Last but not least, digital charity has the potential to be a powerful force for good, but it requires vigilance and a commitment to transparency. By unmasking the ugly face of disguised charitable works, we can safeguard the generosity of our people and ensure that every act of charity reaches its intended destination, creating a future where genuine compassion and positive change prevail.
The writer is an associate professor of development Studies Discipline, at Khulna University, and PhD fellow, at Lingnan University, Hong Kong. He could be reached at [email protected].
Messenger/Fameema
