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The European Parliament passed a recommendation calling Russia “the main source of disinformation in Europe” and appealing for increased funding for the EU’s East StratCom Task Force, which already got 1.1 million euros in 2018.
HINT: The East StratCom Task Force is a EU body focused on so-called proactive communication of EU policies and activities in the Eastern neighbourhood (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and beyond (Russia and further).
The passed document says that East StratCom Task Force as well as its two task-force subdivisions dealing with the southern neighborhood and Western Balkans, should get “adequate financial and personnel resources which are still required, aimed at the significant increase of their potential, effectiveness, professionalism, institutional continuity and quality of work, as well as safeguarding them against political meddling by officials and countries that back Russian disinformation.”
Furthermore, it called on EU member states “to ensure that electoral laws take into account possible threats stemming from disinformation campaigns” and urged them to “adapt their electoral rules on online campaigning and to monitor and evaluate the transparency features in relation to political advertising introduced by the online platforms.”
The suggestions also include support for “independent and diverse Russian-language media in the countries of the Eastern Partnership and beyond” and “to focus on the EU accession countries and partners in the EU neighborhood by assisting them in their efforts to counteract hostile propaganda and disinformation activities.”
The formal justification of the moves suggested in the document is based on the mainstream media narrative that Russia every day carries out disinformation campaigns and cyber attacks, aimed at increasing tensions within the EU and its member states.
The proposal passed by the European Parliament is another indication that the EU bureaucracy is steadily pushing the bloc towards media and political totalitarism. The principle of freedom of speech is becoming abandoned. Most critical positions and reports are labeled Russian propaganda and disinformation while grassroots initiatives not loyal to the European establishment or non-mainstream media outlets are described as Russian agents.
An important factor behind the decision to adapt ‘electoral laws and rules’ and exploit the Russian threat is the upcoming election in the European Parliament as well as concers of the European bureaucracy and financial circles ahead of them.
It should be noted that most of EU, US and NATO documents and declarations don’t bother themselves with providing examples of disinformation. Likely, the reason is that most of these ‘examples’ are reports revealing data hiding by the Western mainstream media or providing Russian or Chinese or Iranian arguments on some topics.
Topics described by the mainstream propaganda as ‘fake news’ are varrying from independent coverage of the 2015–16 New Year’s Eve sexual assaults in Cologne to facts provided by the Assad government and Russia regarding the Douma ‘chemical attack’ in 2018. The official Western propaganda and mainstream media outlets are hiding facts, which do not contribute to the ‘official’ point of view, and push the establishment narrative.
The recent hysteria over the so-called Russian threat will strenthen the alreadty exisiting censorship further. The EU body created to combat ‘propaganda’ can and likely will be turned into the 1984-style Ministry Of Truth. The establishment does not care about the freedom, democracy, human rights and other ‘universal values’ if they go in contrary with its goals.
An interesting fact that the similar tendencies could be also observed in Russia. Authorities are limiting freedom of speech and civic rights of the citizens and fueling internal state propaganda under pretext of countering the ‘Western threat’. The only and the key difference is that the scale of these Russian efforts has so far been much lower than those observed in the EU. Moscow just has much less resources for this.
One of the reasons behind this situation is the ill structure of the modern society intentionally or not intentionally created by the US, European states and Russia. They all exploit the foreign threat concept to justify actions of their governments, which in most cases are mainly designed to defend interests of the ruling elites only. The societies are divided and narrow elite groups and their close circles are exploiting most of the resources.
Socialists of 19th and 20th centuries used the term ‘class struggle’ to describe division of the society. While this term is no more widely used, modern societies (European, American, Russian etc) are divided even deeply. This division between ‘capitalists’ and ‘working class’ was trensofrmed into another field. Now, this division lies between two “new classes”:
I. ‘ordinary’ representatives of the society (small, medium and even big business oriented on the real creation of added value, real sector and office workers (blue collars), and a part of the clerisy, which aims at the headway creation of a new science, engineering, IT, art or culture);
II. the high and speculative financial capital, ‘new bureaucracy’, and self-proclaimed intellectuals, variuos kitschy and hyped artists defending interests of the previous two groups, as well as various groups of persons living on welfare despite having opportunities to get a job.
Therefore, the ongoing shift to a new technological paradigm has led to the creation of new “exploiters” and “exploited” distributed along the entire social hierarchy. This situation is one more factor contributing to the further increase of state propaganda around the world. It is expected that rights and freedoms of the working part of the society. This trend will likely continue to get momentum further until it reaches its expected result predetermined by the logic of social process.
Authorities are limiting freedom of speech and civic rights of the citizens and fueling internal state propaganda under pretext of countering the ‘Western threat’.
Another lunatic called himself “think-tank”? Would you ever present any facts about limiting freedom of speech in Russia?
Dear Harry Smith, From the point of view of the author, such examples are: 1. A set of bills to impose fines for “disrespecting” Russian institutions and spreading “fake news” passed both chambers of the parliament http://sozd.duma.gov.ru/bill/606596-7, http://sozd.duma.gov.ru/bill/606595-7 It should be noted that these bills will have no impact on Russian official (mainstream) media outlets. They are excluded from it. 2. The decision to block Telegram. Additionally, the author does not pretend to be named a “think tank”. The article describes general tendencies, which can be observed in the US, the EU and Russia. There are no doubts that currently the US and the EU limit the freedom of speech much more than Russia. This is noted in the article. Sincerely yours, SF Team
Dear SF team, did you ever read the laws? Let me google-translate it for you
“Distribution in information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet, of information (materials) intended for an unlimited circle of persons, expressing in an indecent form, obvious disrespect to society, the state, official state symbols of the Russian Federation, the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the bodies exercising state power in the Russian Federation, if these actions do not contain a criminal offense, – shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of from one thousand to five thousand rubles or administrative arrest for up to fifteen days. ” Are you sure that expression of disrespect in indecent, underline this, indecent form is kinda freedom of expression? Or 80 bucks for possibility to piss on the state flag is the limiting of freedom of speech?
“Distribution in the media as well in information and telecommunication networks of deliberately inaccurate socially significant information disseminated under the guise of reliable messages, which creates a threat to the life and (or) health of citizens, a massive disturbance of public order and (or) public safety, termination of life support facilities, transport or social infrastructure, other serious consequences, – shall entail the imposition of an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of from three thousand to five thousand rubles; on officials – from thirty thousand to fifty thousand rubles; on legal entities – from four hundred thousand to one million rubles with confiscation of the subject of an administrative offense.” Or publishing fake news to achieve such consequences like somebody’s death is freedom of speech? And even in that case the newspaper or news outlet would pay just 80 000 bucks. Maybe I am stupid but at my view it is NOT limiting any freedom of expression.
I think this may be setting a limit on ‘extra-curricular’ activities of groups like P-Riot on the extreme of indecency that HAVE been promoted by so-called NGO’s in Russia, it is this sort of Sorosz experience at which the law is aimed I believe. My take.
Not only. Imagine if smbdy published in his instagram that Russia fired nuclear missiles and started www3 and your neighbor’s grandma got a cardiac attack because of it. If the grandma gonna sue the guy in Russia, before the law, he got nothing. Now the guy gonna pay 80 USD. {sarcasm} What a cruel legislation against freedom of speech! {sarcasm}
There is more Russian limits now than before turning fact info to soft power stories. RT has started deleting critical comments on Clima Change and “Scarce Water resources”, as this is against the global rolling out of AI, 5G and Smart grid.
Thats right. Unfortunatly we see that kind of chinging things in other countries too. Poland is the latest example. Poles are not allowed to learn that they and Lituanians also killed a lot of Jews.
@disqus_4i0qg70fp2:disqus and @disqus_5i07oBp9hH:disqus I do remember the Internet without yahoo, google and facebook, but with netscape and altavista. In that times there was no censorship, step by step they limit the freedom existed before. Sometimes it was good in cases of pedophile, but in major cases it is sad, very sad.
Ever wonder if some of these “pedophiles” was a trick to increase those limits?
You can believe me or not, but in 1994 on the FTP sites or BBS with porn, the folder with children pornography was at the same catalog with the classic pornography. And nobody was restricting that because the law enforcements did not understand the technology. But what is interesting, the gay porn was almost absent. So, my personal opinion, the restrictions over the child porn are strongly necessary.
As for increasing the limits of the free speech, you can observe it by yourself. Most of them because Anglo-Saxons have lost it’s monopoly over the spreading the information, that’s why they can not fool people as easy as they did it 20-30 years before. 200 years of monopoly for lies just crashed and they do not have the appropriate response.
Dear friends and Harry Smith in particular, We want to write the following: 1. Dear Harry Smith, we recommend you read a bit more about SouthFront https://southfront.org/about-southfront/ 2. It seems that one should not enter the discussion with affronts if this person seeks to find out the truth. As it has been known since the ancient Greek times, the truth is born of arguments. 3. Regarding the existence of independent media: There was a period prior to production of staged videos during the US invasion in Iraq, when, with a certain degree of conditionality, independent media outlets existed. 4. Certainly, any author provides own point of view. The platform for dialogue on the “future” is the platform, which allows any person to release or discuss own point of view or arguments if the needed quality conditions are fulfilled. 5. “And sometimes he or she exchange the point of view for some goods, money or pleasure.” This statement reveals you as a likely representative of the Russian neo-capitalist reality. No, some “exchange” cannot explain various attitudes. SouthFront Team members have various contacts around the world. Some of them are people from Russia. Unfortunately, in the modern reality, the Russians may often appear closer to “consumerism” than to the sphere of ideas. 6. Regarding the pro-Russian propaganda, Southern is right that it has recently expanded within the Russian state media. This point of view can be easily confirmed if somebody decides to watch Russian state TV. Most discussions are focused on the “Western threat”, sex and glamour. At the same time, the world expects some another, “new” agenda from Russia. The agenda, which would help to reshape the existing unfair world structure. This is why in 2014-2015 it was possible to observe such an uplift. Now, many things are being distorted. 7. We don’t understand your comments about “children pornography” and see them unacceptable. As to the supposed end of the Anglo-Saxon monopoly, which existed 20-30 years before: This situation created opportunities, which we should develop. Sincerely yours, A Serbian member of SF Team from Montenegro
Dear SF Team in general and it’s member from Montenegro in particular, please forgive me for the following statement but I don’t really care where the author from.
There are 2 kinds or people in this world: those who tend to objectivity and those who believe in different type of “isms” like consumerism, socialism or capitalism. The second type of people are always trying to fit the reality to their beliefs. The reason of my question was, for me, to understand what group the author is from. At the moment I’ve got the perfect answer and understood even more than I’ve expected. Thank you very much.
As for the paragraph 7 from your answer it was just an example when limited freedom of speech is good.
PS hope my answer doesn’t appear rude for anybody.
There is no such things like “independent media” in the world. And, let’s be sincere, never was before. Every jurno, “think-tank” or analyst promotes his or her own point of view, which, a priori, is tendentious. And sometimes he or she exchange the point of view for some goods, money or pleasure.
That’s why it is crucial to get your info from different sources. Too sad SF started to promote Russian non-system opposition news outlets, because if I want to know their opinion it is better to look at the BBC, cuz sometimes the outlets could wrongly understand the boss’s narrative and have to edit the info later.
This site is considered independent media.
Not quite. They are dependent from crowd funding, that’s why if they start to publish news, which are not corresponding to the crowd’s expectations, they’ll lose their money.
Independent from the MSM you doofus.
First, please stop insulting me. That doesn’t makes you look more independent. Second, if SF is so independent from the MSM, why then you repeat the MSM BS about freedom of speech in Russia? There are only 2 logic possibilities why you are doing that: 1. You are linked, somehow, with the MSM sponsors. 2. Your source is linked with the MSM. Please try to understand me right. We do have a lot of problems here in Russia, but the whining about freedom of speech is kinda signature of the State Dept payed opposition. PS here is an example or the real problem in Russia, just for not to be unsubstantiated (video in Russian) https://youtu.be/pT-mK9yWaUw
You make no sense whatsoever, the only thing that is starting to make sense is that you’re simply a troll unable to put an argument together.
The claims you made and posted below are not only factually incorrect they’re complete and utterly devoid of truth.
why then you repeat the MSM BS about freedom of speech in Russia? There are only 2 logic possibilities why you are doing that: 1. You are linked, somehow, with the MSM sponsors. 2. Your source is linked with the MSM.
Ok, I will try a little simpler. If you are independent from MSM why you repeat their rhetorics about the laws while the reality is opposite? https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/09/europe/vladimir-putin-russia-authoritarian-intl/index.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/07/world/europe/russia-internet-freedom-speech.html https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/06/russian-parliament-outlaws-online-disrespect
You’re misleading – try to be accurate.
If you’re critical of an article in Southfont, you should be sure to mention that in your reply as opposed to referring to Southfront as ”you”.
OK, let’s try the 3d time. Dear @Southernfink:disqus, do you have any logical explanation, why SF repeats MSM rhetorics about the laws?
@disqus_JrdR7xOiaV:disqus
First of all you’re out on a limb, you should have admitted that it was completely misleading to have referred to Southfront as you.
Why is SF supposedly repeating the MSM narrative?
It hasn’t really, this topic has been around a long time there’s nothing new about it, for example there was talk about this back in the swinging 60’s.
Never mind what comes out of the MSM, the only thing that does come out is approved by their masters.
In case you’re unaware, Obama legalized the use of propaganda via the NDAA, the MSM is simply a neocon mouthpiece.
In the end – Even though the Russian Federation has turned capitalist, it sure ain’t no bright shiny beacon of democratic values.
What that means is that there is no change in the guard on either side, the power elite remain in place on both sides.
I do appreciate how Putin is able to hold his own for hours on end –
Western politicians are presently unable or willing to match his skill as a diplomat instead they’re perpetually bending over backwards to Washington’s or should I mention Israel’s lie based narrative.
As a politician Putin is cool, however note that the power structure doesn’t change – like the article mentions – both use the fear of the other to hang onto to political power, the Neocons do that to please their masters while Russia requires someone with a strong mind to ensure Russian sovereignty isn’t violated.
So who benefits?
It ain’t the working class on either side.
OK, I am dumb and SF is not “you”. And I do appreciate your comprehensive survey over World’s politics and working class.
But what about this particular case with freedom of speech in Russia? Please pardon me, cuz I never could accept the Marxist approach to analyses, but when I see that SF gives the same interpretations to the Russian “anti-snowflakes” laws, as MSM, it increases my concerns. Just want to understand the SF’s motivation to correct my view over this site credibility. Was it bad source or is it a SF editors official point of view?
I had no idea you’re Russian – meaning English isn’t your first language but it’s very good.
You’re going over the very same point’s, that have already been answered.
As I am dumb, could you please answer once again, but with more simple words, please?
Perhaps this article will satisfy your thirst for information.
Russia Internet Protests – These Crowd Estimates Are Propaganda [MOA]
Dear, Southern! Thank you very much for the link. I do really appreciate your efforts. But try to understand me. I’m here not for getting news about Russia. The article you presented is very good pointed, but in the Russian segment of internet there are much more interesting videos like when people at the meeting were asked why they came. That was a disaster for organizers. :)
I read SF because of news outside of Russia. Western MSM are hypocritical while Russian MSM are tendentious because they are generating hate against westerners. And Russian opposition outlets are just branches of the western MSM. BUT I don’t understand why most of independent outlets like SF or TruNews are repeating the BS about these 2 laws, mentioned in the article. SF are leftists, TruNews are conservatives but they give same view over the situation. That is what bothers me much.
If the Black Arts of dystopian propaganda practiced by the EU are as infantile as demonstrated by the UK ‘intelligence ‘ services ‘Scripal’ bollocks , there will little to fear apart from the EU further becoming a laughing stock.
Millennials it appears, are just not very good at intrigue and deception. Except of course in the wilderness of their own minds :)
Actually, just speaking with a friend in UK who has good Russia connections in St. Petersburg and Moscow (he was actually able to get some of the also ran ballerinas from the general corps to do a fund raiser for a British Army vet housing project last September). He is thinking of emigrating.
If I was younger , I would be keen to leave the Britain that is now alien to me. The Russians are somewhat immunised from political correctness as they have experienced such tyranny of thought and opinions in very recent history. Political correctness is essentially a tool of those who seek to enslave others.
i have faith that it will be stopped! The pendulum swings left but it will swing right very hard! History is FULL of this occurrence! Look at the french revolution, Germany! If it doesnt stop then u end up like China or worse! Most Europeans are awake, they will unite soon and it will be all over in a matter of weeks once they do! Even those who supported this PC, EU leadership are starting to rebel! lol, reminds me of a song by Midnight oil…. lyrics are “Short memory must have a…. short memory”! lol, those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it! Europeans are not dumb! They will fix it!
I call it the little box syndrome. I’ll describe it as i went through it. I was born in 83.
With identity politics taking over in the 2000’s, what happenned was that social “unity” has been fractured by multiple advocacy groups,, de facto dividing us according to how we react to each polarizing group, at the same time being indoctrinated to be tolerant and to accept and welcome all these groups. It must be by design, otherwise the media would not have been pushing it also. So now weve become obsessed with labelling ourselves.
Ill use me as an example. I’m acadian. Im a white french canadian, im catholic ect ect….
So every little group now has its own box that supporters can gather in and use the roof wall and floor of the box as shelter.
And now facebook arrives at around the same time. Here the identity box process has now become automated.
Perfect so instead of focusing on projects for the greater good (1 belt 1 road comes to mind but im not convinced yet), we find our efforts end up being carved up amongst groups with little gains for all.
If this is the model desired, then its a success as we are exceedingly good at wasting our ressources. If this goes on we will eat ourselves.
Yes, and the elite feel safer in a cage where many species of animals ( religious cults) fight amongst each other, rather than focussing on the parasites that suck the blood from all of us.
1,1 mio Euros isnt much. Somehow we have to remove or reduce all the low parted flow of almost any kind of information., Its too much.
Many countries are using much more money to try to solve this in country levels. Freedom isnt anybody are allowed to lie for us the best they cant and we eat it.
The danger is seen too by limitations we also see in Free Speach. How can Turkey be a Democrasy if it has no free speech and Erdogan comes to Denmark blaming us, that our journalists are not under Goverment control.
And in hios own country: The Giovermenet has taken over all Free speach Medias and even had world record for jailed Journalists.
So its very much about kinds of Leaderships and how infected they are by any. We have to remove all Leaders, which is not for at least mainly free debate and speach. Parlament means “talk about things”.
So the sword has 2 sharp sides, maybee like after all to prefare nuke powerplants for bombs. We need to handle all that informations whatever its totally irrelevant or systematicly harm others.
Thats also say, that so many people dont learn to see if even simple things are correct or not. They eat everything as sheep and goats. We actually learn that in school as “source critisisme”. Even in a low level, its much better then none just as many here not even use vital protection against cirus, trojans and other kinds of damage and attack.
I protect me by freeware. Its working fine. I also wear a helmet at my scooter. People not doing that must have a spendable head.
So EU go on too. Some few mio. Euros is nothing, if they can handle very bad things in the higher levels, which I can not. We will stop You, if You go too far.
How South Front continue to think of himself as an independent news agency when he keeps putting out wild allegations inside the news feed? If he presented himself as a professional blogger he’d be perceived as far more credible.
if you don’t like southfront why are you here – would suggest cnn or some other right wing publication that will appreciate your whining.
Say the guy that only visits the news to formulate conspiracy theories. Get a life, punk.
Mute.
We should not be surprised by this reinvented ”ministry of truth”.
Ever since Obama legalized the use of propaganda – via the NDAA – Washington’s vassal states are required to do their bit as an attempt to counter serious investigative journalism while simultaneously trying to justify diverting taxpayers funds away from social infrastructure projects, towards wasteful military projects and funding.
Thats right thank you for supporting my position!!
More bridges more roads, less bombs and drones!!
That doesn’t make sense –
I wasn’t supporting your position, you responded to a comment I made ;-)
Stop wasting taxpayers funds enriching the financial elite, taxpayers have a right to demand an end to lie based wars for oil and corporate profits and empire..
Taxpayers have a right to demand that their contributions are used to benefit social infrastructure projects.
Ive been saying the same thing for years.
Warning i may be biased a little ;)
we’re stitched up from get go so anything orwell foresaw in the 1940s is long since surpassed in breadth, depth and in its most sinister form – the surveilllance state is here and there is noting to stop it.
Thank heavens that the UK will be soon free of the EU madness. While it may be true that all gov’ts exploit the foreign threat concept to justify their actions, Russia has put true information before their people. That is something which western gov’ts, via their media, who are a big joke, do not do.
IMO, we will never get to the point of a 1984 type scenario because the people will revolt en masse well before that. There are millions at boiling point already. Pushed there by the arrogance of their gov’t.