Information security important for Azerbaijan: official
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijan considers the issue of society's information security
important, Head of Sector at the Azerbaijani Presidential
Administration's Social and Political Affairs Department said.
"On one hand, expanding the virtual space facilitates is the
process of bringing the truth to the world community about the
country and its people and exercising their right to freedom of
expression," Vugar Aliyev said. "On the other hand, it leads to the
disruption of the national information sphere, negative impact on
the national system of values, and influence of foreign circles on
society and political processes."
Aliyev made the remarks at the "New Media and New Challenges"
conference in Baku on May 27.
"The negative and positive aspects of the global information sphere
also make the country's information policy and the society's
information security important," he said.
"Using modern standards, launching a national satellite into orbit,
upgrading the infrastructure, and preparing and implementing
certain state programs have increased the possibilities of new
media and serve its all-around development," he noted.
Aliyev added that online media outlets are seriously competing with
traditional media to obtain and disseminate information, even
preceding them in some areas.
The high-ranking official went on to speak about social networks,
saying, "At the same time, along with creating opportunities for
free expression of opinion, social networks are uncontrolled and do
not meet the minimum requirements of the liability criteria," he
said.
"We should all agree that Facebook can reflect negative actions,
uncharacteristic of professional media. Insults, lie, and slander
have become a commonplace in this social network," he stressed.
Aliyev stated that popular social networks are the companies
registered in certain countries and are accountable to the laws of
those countries.
"This shows once again that as a result of social networks'
activities, the legislation of certain countries has gained an
advantage over international and national legislations," Aliyev
said.