MINSK, 6 April (BelTA) – It would be absolutely right to toughen accountability and increase Internet control, Member of the Standing Commission on National Security of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Marina Lenchevskaya told the SB. Belarus Segodnya newspaper, BelTA has learned.
“Ensuring national security in the information space is one of the strategic tasks of the state. Today it is important to set the priorities right in the field of information security, to introduce appropriate changes to national legislation (including the law “On Mass Media”). All this is prompted by the time and international experience. I deem it necessary to strengthen accountability, in particular criminal responsibility, for the dissemination of deliberately false and discrediting information about the political, economic, social situation of Belarus, the legal status of citizens, and the activities of authorities when it is done in a public speech, including the media and the Internet,” the MP said.
According to her, many people take false information for real and, accordingly, can take actions that will be dangerous not only for themselves, but also for the society as a whole.
“We know many examples when false information was aimed at discrediting the state and authorities. The purpose is the same - to stir up public discontent, manipulate people, divide Belarusians into ‘us' and ‘them'. It should not be that way! We should promptly respond to current challenges in order to win this information war. After the August events, the state realized very clearly how important it is to conduct public outreach activities and to offer an alternative agenda in the media. Professionals, non-indifferent people and bloggers began to debunk the fakes and show the other side of the coin. Many alternative channels have appeared in Telegram to show, with irony or sarcasm, the activities of our pseudo opposition. Why pseudo? Because the real opposition does not abandon its supporters, it puts their interests above their own security, and it does not leave people for the sake of foreign perks,” the MP said.
