Current legal solutions make it obligatory to register internet portals, or as the Law for electronic media calls them – electronic publications.
That is how editor of every media is responsible for contents published in this media, in accordance with related laws. However, is he/she end till what extent responsible for the comments under the contents?
Montenegrin readers comment more and more, even too much
in the beginning, said Vujovic, it was a very attractive channel where feedback from citizens could be observed.
“However, with increase in influence of this format, it became more attractive to various subjects for discrediting the competition and opponents. Commenting became the easiest way to spread lies, insults, to promote hate speech. All this led to forming of organized groups that were tasked with waging internet wars. Political parties did this the most, but also some companies, or even non-government organizations. One political party in Serbia had a team of 300 people during the elections campaign that was tasked with commenting on the internet and insulting their opponents, and spinning certain information”, said Vujovic.
What do we gain from new measures?
For starters, registration of users would open the possibility that persons who engage in hate speech which is a criminal act would make it easier to discover and process these persons in case of criminal charges against them.
“Also, if commentators say lies or insults, the one who was targeted could press charges against those persons. Premoderation means that an appointed editor-administrator approves content, and publishes comments by clicking on them. Editor-administrator would not approve content which is not in accordance with the Rulebook for program standards in electronic publications or any other content that is a criminal action. Appointed administrator would also be obliged to, in case it happens that inappropriate content is published anyway and afterwards reported by readers, in short notice remove such content, or if he feels that the report by the reader is not valid, to reply to the reader anyway”, said Vujovic.
He said at the end of the conversation that obligation of adopting these rules exists approximately five years, but it has not been fulfilled yet.
“I’ve been insisting on this matter for several years, but only now have some serious efforts been made by the Agency to create the first draft of the text, and to adopt the Rulebook in next two months, which is a legal obligation of the Agency”, concluded Vujovic.