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Information Security in the Republic of Moldova: Challenges and Solutions

26 August 2016
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The discussion club "STOP FALSE" met on Thursday, 25 August to raise the issue: "Information security in the Republic of Moldova: challenges and solutions". Alla Rosca , Ph.D., University professor, researcher at Edgewater Research, New Orleans, USA, was invited as an expert to this event. During the discussions, the researcher referred to the concept of informational security, definition of propaganda and manipulation etc.
 
From the beginning, the expert stimulated those present to look together for an answer to the following question: How can we ensure the media freedom, access to information and, at the same time, to ensure the information security, thus, to ensure the possibility the citizens not to be manipulated and be exposed to methods of propaganda and manipulation?
 
"In the framework of an international project organized by OSCE in Germany, which lasted two months, we discussed about the elaboration of a concept  how to determine and how to ensure the information security", informed Alla Rosca. According to the expert, firstly,  the elaboration of a legislation which would stipulate the notion of information security, the concepts of propaganda and manipulation would be necessary. Secondly, she says that all the mass media institutions from the country, without exception, have to be subject to monitoring. Thirdly, in the case of detection of cases of manipulation or propaganda, the competent authorities, BCC or the parliamentary committees should be notified. And fourthly, sanctions should be applied. "BCC tried to apply the most expensive sanction from the Republic of Moldova, which is about $300. I just don't think that a TV channel would achieve its aim with a fine of $300", stated Alla Rosca.
 
In the expert's opinion, a joint effort of governors and media organizations is necessary to solve these problems.
 
The expert Petru Macovei mentioned that to protect ourselves from propaganda and manipulation, it is important to connect to as many sources of information as possible. "To watch them regularly and have a list of three, four, five which we trust. On the other hand, we have to know some elementary things, the journalist has the obligation to ensure the social and political balance in the newsletters. If it comes to accusations, there must be right of reply to these charges, there must be different opinions", said Petru Macovei. At the same time, he drew attention that the methods of manipulation and propaganda became more complex in the last period and don't remain only simple lies.
 
The conclusions reached by the participants were that the security of the informational space can be ensured through: free access to information, media demonopolisation and adoption of a legislation which would contribute to this, monitoring all the means of information.
 
The discussion club was organized during the Media campaign against false and biased information - STOP FALS!, conducted by the Association of Independent Press (API), Independent Journalism Center (IJC) and Association of Independent TV Journalists (ATVJI).