Lukashenko: We will fight against fake news

Belarus will fight more effectively against fake news, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said at the national seminar-conference to discuss new methods and forms of public communication at the grassroots level, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko called information and communication work no less important in the work of civil servants. “We understand how important it is today to use all the opportunities, including digital resources, and to interact with mass media. We see how information, sometimes the most blatant lies, instantly spreads, creating the basis for social upheavals. We see how important it is to respond in a timely manner to all the false information, to explain the people the decisions the government makes, and to involve them in the management process, to adequately respond to the creative initiatives that come from the people,” the head of state said.

The Belarusian leader drew special attention to the fight against fake news. The president recalled that he recently hosted a meeting on information security. “We talked about fake news which are sensational to catch the eye and easily adjust to all sorts of instincts of our people. They penetrate deeper and faster. They are more interesting than our ‘boring' lives. That is the difficulty we have to face in dealing with the lies. There is no getting away from it. We have made up our minds and will fight these lies more effectively. Because it can eventually turn society upside down, as we have already seen,” the president stressed.