NDM: Weekly News Article - W/C 2nd January (34)

Czech Republic to fight 'fake news' with specialist unit

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/dec/28/czech-republic-to-fight-fake-news-with-specialist-unit

Summary

Specialist anti fake news unit to be set up in the Czech Republic as officials try to tackle falsehoods mostly about migrants. The fake news is claimed to be spread by websites supported by Government of Russian president Vladimir Putin. New unit will aim to counteract interference in Czech Republic forthcoming election in October. Amid polling evidence that online disinformation is influencing public opinion. The Czech Republic key goals of this new unit are: Russian Propaganda in Czech Republic will sow doubts into people's minds that democracy is the best system to organize a country, to build negative image of European Union and Nato and discourage participation in democratic process. Part of the interior ministry, the new Centre Against Terrorism and Hybrid Threats will begin on January 1st with 20 full time specialists. However, the new “anti-fake news” centre has drawn accusations that it will result in censorship, spying and a crackdown on free speech – a charge rebutted by its supervisors

      

Key Statistics

• Czech Republic democratic system established after fall of communism in 1989
• Definite links hard to prove, but officials convinced Kremlin is behind about 40 Czech language websites presenting radical views, conspiracy theories and inaccurate reports.
• Though, Russia refuse to take the blame they think the fake news sites have come from within the Czech Republic's 45,000 strong Russian community
• Czech only became democratic 25 years ago.  

My Opinion

As we all know the fake news spiral started during the campaign trail of Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump in the USA running for presidency and is still clearly going on now. Expect the problem is no longer country specific it is a worldwide problem, particularly in those countries that are having elections or they are upcoming. The fake news spiral seems to target politics, which is not great as all countries want to present a united front in their Government's to show people that they are in safe hands with those in positions of power. However, they cannot do that with the fake news problem so I can totally understand why the Czech Republic are taking precautions by actually setting up a specialist unit to combat the fake news. Though, we are living through a digital age so this unit in the Czech Republic needs to do something fast which is permanent because just blocking the information from publication is not enough and even if sites are blocked and taken down, in this digital age it is so easy for somebody to find another way to get the news they want to out there for mass public consumption.