New law on mass media to apply to bloggers

Owners of blogs are to become responsible for their blogs’ content.

Such a statement has been made today by the Information Minister of Belarus Lidziya Ananich, when she answered the question whether the amendments to the law on mass media apply to bloggers, BelTA informs.

“You can keep a blog if you wish, but it should fit in the principles fixed by the law on mass media,” the minister said.

According to her, in most cases bloggers remain unpunished when they use abusive terms against concrete persons in their blogs. Passing the amendments to the law on mass media, “the state promotes public interests, creates the legal space in the framework of the law currently in force,” Liliya Ananich stressed.

We remind that today “deputies” passed the amendments to the Law “On Mass Media” in two readings. Now the government can block any independent website completely.