Partit Demokratiku wants national commission to monitor online abuse

The Democratic Party (PD) has called for a mechanism that will monitor and regulate political parties, the news media, telecom operators, legal, and communications experts to discuss means of monitoring and curbing the misuse of online media.

“PD believes this is a matter of urgency,” the party said. “It is in everyone’s long term interest that what we read and hear reflects what is really happening. Open, free and informed discussion on topics that concern us all can only happen if the truth is protected.”

PD said social and online media was being use dto warp public opinion and perception on political parties, organisations and individuals.

“This phenomenon is becoming increasingly evident in our every-day lives, and of more concern seems to be on an organised scale,” it said.

The PD said this was evident in websites and social media groups designed to ridicule and denigrate politicians and journalists, fake profiles designed to undermine people by issuing false statements pretending to be by them; hacking and blocking of websites; use of trolls by the major political parties to ridicule critics.

The PD also said that political parties were issuing fake news to the detriment of those opposing them and their agenda, and that party media were deliberating omitting news of public interest which is not of interest to their cause.

“Freedom of speech is a fundamental right and feature in any true democracy. The manipulation of that right, however, can undermine the very democracy it is designed to protect. Europe, 80 years ago, witnessed the effect of such manipulation. Autocracy, fascism and eventually war. If people and the media are unable to responsibly use the tools available to them to transmit their views and ideas, then they parodically risk having every voice suppressed,” the PD said.