12.02.2019
The approaching elections was gave a lot of colour to the stories published in the media about influence activities.
In January, the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee published a report on „Preparedness to eliminate intervention in the elections as in the Western countries“ as well as the European Commission Representation in Estonia organized a discussion between President Kersti Kaljulaid and the Vice-President of the European Commission, Andrus Ansip on fighting false information in Europe.
Russian propaganda channels was another major area where the topic of influence activities was written about.
The most spoken text of the month was published in the cultural journal „Sirp“ on the topic of using fake research.
Truth, falsehoods and journalism
Sirp – using fake research
https://sirp.ee/s1-artiklid/c21-teadus/teaduspesu/
ERR – Raul Rebane | what threatens journalism?
https://www.err.ee/904688/raul-rebane-mis-ahvardab-ajakirjandust
The Possibility of influence activities in Estonia and Europe
Postimees – Ansip: older people believe fake information more easily
https://www.postimees.ee/6508282/ansip-vanemad-inimesed-usuvad-libainfot-kergemini
President Kersti Kaljulaid’s and the Vice-President of the European Commission, Andrus Ansip’s discussion on combating fake information in Europe
https://www.err.ee/903313/ansip-valeinformatsioon-on-uuenenud
Postimees – Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs: A significant portion of Influence activities has been on Social Media.
https://poliitika.postimees.ee/6504829/valiskomisjoni-raport-markimisvaarne-osa-mojutustegevusest-on-kandunud-sotsiaalmeediasse
Eesti Ekspress – How to actually hack a political system
https://ekspress.delfi.ee/areen/kuidas-tegelikult-poliitilist-susteemi-hakkida?id=85149133
Eesti Ekspress – Report to Friends: Influencing the Estonian Elections 2019
https://ekspress.delfi.ee/kuum/raport-sopradele-eesti-valimiste-mojutamine-2019?id=85047661
ERR – Ilmar Raag | “The election’s witches cauldron“, part 1: Why is the use of the word propaganda misleading?
https://www.err.ee/904108/ilmar-raag-valimiste-noiakatel-1-osa-miks-on-sona-propaganda-kasutamine-eksitav
Propaganda channels and their behaviour
Postimees – Latvia banned the transmissions of Rossija RTR for three months
https://www.postimees.ee/6512729/lati-keelas-kolmeks-kuuks-telejaama-rossija-rtr-edastamise
Postimees – State agencies are advised to not to communicate with propaganda publications
https://www.postimees.ee/6509335/riigiametitel-on-soovitav-eirata-propagandavaljaannetega-suhtlemist
Postimees – Attack on inappropriate behaviour: Facebook withdrew hundreds of Sputnik affiliated accounts
https://www.postimees.ee/6501265/runnak-vaarkaitumisele-facebook-eemaldas-sajad-sputniku-sonumit-voimendanud-kontod
Curiosity of the month
Further to the previous block, ETV+ managed to act quite unbelievably, namely the National Broadcasting Agency’s Russian language channel invited a representative from the Russian propaganda channel, Sputnik as well as the editor-in-chief of the Postimees’ Russian – language section to come and discuss matters. The National Broadcasting Agency should know that Sputnik is not a legitimate publisher and there are no journalists working there.
ERR – “Кто кого?”: главреды Sputnik и Rus.Postimees поспорили о пропаганде в соцсетях
https://rus.err.ee/903109/kto-kogo-glavredy-sputnik-i-rus-postimees-posporili-o-propagande-v-socsetjah