(Czech Republic) Monitoring team created in response to perceived growth in Russian web presence
Source: Radio Prague
The government is setting up a special team to curb the influence of foreign propaganda in the Czech Republic. The move comes in response to perceptions that Russia is making increased use of websites and social networks to get its message across to ordinary Czechs.
The Czech Ministry of the Interior is planning the establishment of a 30-member team to monitor foreign propaganda, Czech Television reported on Wednesday. The group will be tasked with curbing the influence of Russia and other states in the media and on social networks in the Czech Republic.
Jan Šír is an academic at the Department of Russian and East European Studies at Charles University’s Institute of International Relations. He says Russian propaganda has been increasingly palpable since the country’s invasion of Crimea. “Since 2014 many so-called alternative websites have emerged in the Czech Republic which spread pro-Kremlin messages, narratives and disinformation.”
Some of these sites, such as Sputnik News, are openly funded by Moscow. Tens of others, which can superficially resemble regular news sites, have murkier ownership structures.
Read more: http://radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/monitoring-team-created-in-response-to-perceived-growth-in-russian-web-presence
Central Europe is getting serious about Russia's support of fascist and anti-democratic elements as a basic threat to the existence of their democracies. Just look at the near-miss in Austria or the fascist pro-Russian government in Hungary.
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