|
| |
INFORMATION SECURITY DOCTRINE
Alexey Simonov
Chair of the Glasnost Protection Foundation
The Glasnost Protection Foundation is not celebrating its anniversary with congratulatory speeches. The anniversary is commemorated by the conference related to issues which remain as acute as they used to be ten years
ago.
Access to information is becoming more and more difficult. The law on the freedom of access to information has not been passed, the range of accessible archives is rapidly shrinking. Press centers are acting as PR-agencies, imposing their illegal rules of the game on citizens. Environmental experts and journalists are becoming prey to secret services. The government information resource is sold under the table at a constantly growing price. The amount of accessible, meaningful public information about Kursk is equal to the amount of information about Chernobyl.
Not a single citizen is protected from unauthorized access to his telephone calls, his correspondence, sale of his personal information by the government institutions. Next in line are e-mail and Internet.
Thirdly, the government monopoly on mass media is moving towards its peak. The vast majority of regional and municipal newspapers have links with local government agencies. They serve as administrative leverage. Printing-houses and TV towers belong to the government. A significant amount of press distribution is managed by local administrations. Newspapers, radio and television, managed by governors and mayors, are supplemented by governors' media holdings.
The mesmerized country is moving towards the abyss of new uniform thinking. The parliament is manageable, courts are obedient, youth is "marching along". Dissidents are like lions in a zoo- they are roaring but can't jump out of a cage.
The Russian Academy of Science demands that no scientist should establish any contacts or receive contracts and grants overseas without appropriate registrations and permits. The information security doctrine composed by secret services has been approved, adopted, and, in my opinion, is in reserve - always ready to be activated. Preparations for its engagement have been made, however, and some precocious actions are already taking place.
The ethical standards of the press are reminiscent of the aphorism by Stanislav Ezhi Letz: "I sunk to the bottom. Suddenly, somebody knocked from below". Lies, promiscuity, spilling dirty compromising information, black PR, newspapers-doubles, a surging number of claims of mass media against each other... This picture doesn't make anybody optimistic. Journalism acknowledges that it works for sale and even publishes its rates. The level of trust in mass media has lowered by four or five times over the last ten years.
The level of audibility is approaching absolute zero, while the range of Glasnost is narrowing down. Once again, people are afraid to say something wrong, to phrase it incorrectly, or utter it in a wrong place."
For additional information about the foundation contact littp://www.gdf ru. The reference is to http://www.hro.org/editions/pg/ashr.htm
|
