What's new in law 'On mass media' and how websites reacted?

On 17 December, the Ministry of Information submitted for consideration of the House of Representatives amendments to the law on mass media. In particular, websites were equated to the mass media, they now fall under the law on the media. Hundred and three deputies voted in favor of the law. The Minister of Information, Lilia Ananich, presented a report.

"The bill extends the application of the law on the media to online information websites and their units located in the World Wide Web through which the distribution of media products, except for the requirements of state registration, is conducted."

Amendments were adopted in two readings at once.

MPs adopted the amendments in two readings. Such haste is very surprising, because the second reading is there to discuss the draft and make suggestions.

Tut.by is one of the major online media in the country. In the commentary to Euroradio its founder Yury Ziser says that information on the preparation of such changes did not reach them even as a rumor.

Ziser: "This proves once again that they were afraid of the society's reaction, and it means they knew they were doing something wrong. The haste and secrecy of the preparation and adoption, as well as the lack of public discussion are very  surprising. The fact that it was adopted in the Belarusian Union of Journalists is surprising, because if it was really discussed there, some information about it would have leaked. It's weird when the law is prepared in secret. It is like an operation against the enemy, but the law regulates not enemies but domestic media."

On the Internet you cannot control everything. The new law puts the foreign media in better conditions.

Such a situation, according to Ziser, can put in unequal conditions Belarusian and foreign sites that are popular among Belarusians. After all sites are equally available and can not be controlled only Belarusian, as foreign will still be out of control.

Ziser: "Now, they must not only comply with the laws, tut.by does that anyway, but try to please officials at all levels. If someone does not like something, they may close you down. I think that the foreign media is more dangerous. The stronger domestic media outlets are, the better it is for the country. "

Access to the site may be denied after 2 written warnings.

Information Ministry plans to impose restrictions on the distribution of online media, if it gets two or more written warnings during the year. Also, the restriction is introduced for the dissemination of information prohibited by law or by a court, failure to comply with the demands to correct violations of the law on mass media. The procedure for limiting access will be further developed by the regulator of the Internet, together with the Ministry of Communications. The sites that receive warnings will probably have access limited to them on the territory of Belarus.

Under the new law, even New York Times website can be banned.

It turns out that under the new law "On the Media" even New York Times website can be banned in Belarus.

Ananich: "The law "On mass media" applies to all the media available in the country. In fact, today any media distributed on the territory of Belarus - Russian, Kazakh and Ukrainian - must not violate the acting laws. Therefore, the law will apply to everything available on our territory."

What other changes were made in the law on media?

Information published on the Internet should now be refuted on the same website, which published false information, no later than one day after the requirement for rebuttal. At the same time, the refuted information must be removed. The amendments also prohibit the activities of the media, more than 20 percent of which is owned by a foreigner or a foreign country or entity.

Regulation of media distributors is introduced, which means that without the listing of state distributors, a media outlet cannot engage in such activities.

Photo: allday.ru