24 Apr 2023 21:12

Online anonymity leads to paid slander, fake news, authorities fighting sources efficiently - Peskov

MOSCOW. April 24 (Interfax) - Online anonymity facilitates corruption, leading to the spread of falsehoods, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

"They [fake stories online] will always be there because the informational world is diverse, it lives within communities which allow a degree of anonymity, and where there is anonymity, corruption always thrives - that is, paying someone to post information [and] distort information, [and] slander and fake news," Peskov told reporters on Monday.

Asked whether Russia would impose sanctions on Telegram and other information sources that spread false information, Peskov said: "There are in fact many sources being used by our enemies which spring up on social media sites, and on those which are banned here and those which are not, and on Telegram."

He said the Russian authorities were actively counteracting such sources, including in terms of "the counter-channel they make for every channel. They are easily noticeable, they gain followers very quickly."

Peskov also said that it was "very difficult to block entire communities, and it's not always sensible [to do so]".

"By blocking not just an isolated source but an entire community, you lose the opportunity to get your thoughts across, not only in our country but abroad too. So we need to proceed carefully here," Peskov said.