Users of the social media platforms Threads and TikTok should exercise greater caution. Belarus’ Investigative Committee has warned of increased monitoring of content published on these platforms.
“Amid a growing number of cases involving the dissemination of destructive information, investigators are strengthening monitoring and rapid response to publications and comments, particularly on Threads and TikTok, followed by a legal assessment of the author’s actions,” the Investigative Committee said.
The committee identified four main areas of monitoring. Particular attention will be paid to content containing:
- misinformation of the public (knowingly false information that misleads citizens on matters of public safety, the work of state bodies, and the economic and social situation);
- incitement of social hostility (calls for hatred, discrimination based on social, national, religious or other affiliation, and provocations aimed at sparking conflict between groups of citizens);
- knowingly false reports of danger (false bomb threats, terrorist threats, panic-inducing claims about alleged impending emergencies, accidents or other threats to people’s lives and health);
- the rehabilitation of Nazism.
“Cases have been identified where certain individuals, seeking to increase the reach of their publications and attract an audience to their accounts, deliberately spread information that does not correspond to reality about a crime allegedly committed by someone, presenting themselves as a victim or witness of a crime. In some cases, such publications are based on fabricated stories. Such cases will be subject to legal assessment,” the Investigative Committee said.
The committee argues that such content causes serious harm to society and the state, including by provoking public concern and diverting law enforcement agencies and emergency services from real tasks. It added that a post can “reach tens of thousands of users within a matter of hours, causing damage to the country’s stability and security.”
