MINSK, 31 January (BelTA) – In the latest episode of BelTA’s project “The Nation Speaks” Chairman of the Minsk City Election Commission Aleksandr Shchekovich opined on whether it is possible to observe the “day of silence” on the Internet on election day.
“26 January was the “day of silence”. How can we observe the “day of silence”? There is no campaigning in the full sense of the word. But, for example, on election day a video may appear on YouTube calling to support this or that candidate. Someone can see this video accidentally while on a bus. The candidate has nothing to do with it. How shall we define this: is it campaigning or is it not?” Aleksandr Shchekovich asked. “There was a time when campaign materials appeared only in the press or on television. Today, one can use the Internet to set up and hurt a competitor. And the essence of this “day of silence” is hollowed out by the Internet.”
It is impossible to regulate or influence YouTube and Telegram today. “If a person sees this on a bus, how can this person be held accountable?” the chairman of the Minsk City Election Commission asked.
“The second point: what if it was done with the help of artificial intelligence? When, for example, you see a candidate calling for the overthrow of the government, a change in the constitutional order, which is prohibited (I'm not talking about our elections now), can you be sure that the candidate’s identity was not faked?” Aleksandr Shchekovich asked.
“Now the “day of silence” is morphing into something else,” he remarked.
“26 January was the “day of silence”. How can we observe the “day of silence”? There is no campaigning in the full sense of the word. But, for example, on election day a video may appear on YouTube calling to support this or that candidate. Someone can see this video accidentally while on a bus. The candidate has nothing to do with it. How shall we define this: is it campaigning or is it not?” Aleksandr Shchekovich asked. “There was a time when campaign materials appeared only in the press or on television. Today, one can use the Internet to set up and hurt a competitor. And the essence of this “day of silence” is hollowed out by the Internet.”
It is impossible to regulate or influence YouTube and Telegram today. “If a person sees this on a bus, how can this person be held accountable?” the chairman of the Minsk City Election Commission asked.
“The second point: what if it was done with the help of artificial intelligence? When, for example, you see a candidate calling for the overthrow of the government, a change in the constitutional order, which is prohibited (I'm not talking about our elections now), can you be sure that the candidate’s identity was not faked?” Aleksandr Shchekovich asked.
“Now the “day of silence” is morphing into something else,” he remarked.
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