During the second day of the International conference „E-Society.mk – Open Institutions and Accountability” a panel session was organized under the title “The Media and the Good Governance” (Fight Against Disinformation).
According to Sead Džigal of the International Balkan University, it is impossible to remove the sources of disinformation, which doesn’t mean they cannot be defeated, but it is a complex problem in whose solving more social factors will have to be included.
“Disinformation functions like a virus. We also often wittness free spread of hate speech messages. The phenomenon of the policies of hatred is enlivened, where through detailed strategies and plans of political organizing, the hatred is spread through social networks, since there are no protection filters” said Džigal.
According to Prime Minister Zaev’s special public relations adviser Marjan Zabrchanec, the issue with the fight against false news has never been raised to a higher level, and the general public has been informed to reject them.
The false news filters, according to him, should be the doubt, the criticism and the active transparency.
He also said that the Government will respect the Registry of Professional On-line media that is made by the guild i.e. the Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) and the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) and the Government’s intent is to accredit journalists that are part of these on-line media which will be featured on this Registry’s list.
According to Vladimir Petreski, the editor of Vistinomer and CriTink, even though there are various opinions among the public that services for checking facts aren’t necessary, they are very necessary indeed. He also said that with these services, the truth will be given a voice and without them the number of lies will be bigger.
The false news is read by one type of readership while the checking of facts is read by another type” said Petreski.
