Popular singer Asif Akbar has stepped away from Facebook, saying he is frustrated with the platform’s changing environment.
Asif has remained active on social media for years. He regularly used Facebook to share his songs, work updates, personal thoughts and views on contemporary issues. He has now deactivated his Facebook account.
The singer revealed the decision while attending a film press conference at Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC). He also explained why he left the platform.
Expressing his dissatisfaction with Facebook’s current environment, Asif said, “Facebook was a social media platform. But now people promote religion on Facebook and place online orders. Facebook is no longer Facebook.”
He said it has also become difficult to distinguish between truth and rumours on the platform. Unverified information and news often spread without proper checks, leaving ordinary people confused. Asif believes celebrities also face trouble because of this.
He shared his own experience, claiming that statements he never made have repeatedly circulated under his name. He later had to verify those reports, often finding himself in embarrassing situations.
Asif said, “You cannot say which news to believe and which one is true. I have to scan the rumours and call people to say, ‘Brother, I never said this.’”
He said those involved then have to verify the information and publish the actual facts. According to Asif, such incidents are not merely personally embarrassing. They also raise questions of responsibility.
The singer believes every piece of information should be verified before it is published on social media. He said even a minor mistake in a statement, comment or report involving celebrities can create confusion among the public.
Asif believes people will continue to face misinformation if proper fact-checking does not take place. The responsibility for that confusion, he said, often ultimately falls on the person concerned.
Unable to adjust to Facebook’s current environment, Asif has therefore decided to leave the platform. His Facebook account has already been deactivated.
