Moldovan government warns about fake video clips launched in online environment

Chisinau, 14 June /MOLDPRES/ - The authorities repeatedly warn citizens about fake video clips which circulate online and use, in some cases, including the visual identity of the government or other public institutions. The spokesman for the government, Daniel Voda, said that these video clips were part of a misinformation campaign which targets Moldova and its people.  

„We have already got used in the digital space to recognize the falsehoods deliberately created, in order to manipulate or misinform the public opinion. Another sponsored video clip, again in the Romanian language, has appeared on the website of pirated films about which I have earlier spoken; the video clip promotes also invented stories or deeds and speaks about social phenomena in our country. I want, on this occasion, without promoting this video clip, which is obviously false, to say that these video clips are part of a misinformation campaign which targets Moldova and the people of our country,’’ the spokesman for the government, Daniel Voda, said.     

Voda noted that the authorities spread information of public interest on their official platforms. ’’When we create a video clip or make a campaign, carry out actions which regard the informing of the general public, we do this each time transparently and on our platforms. I invite, on this occasion, also all national media institutions to provide their support to combat these falsehoods and misinformation, launched deliberately, in order to create division and convey erroneous messages to the public,’’ Daniel Voda also said.      

The spokesman for the government urged the citizens to be informed only from reliable sources and to report the manipulating contents. ‘’Each time, I am not tired to repeat: when you see fake news, do not hesitate to protect your family, if you inform the close people in the family groups, in the groups of neighbours, on other platforms, that some information discussed in the public space is fake or when you see a manipulating content distributed, report it to the concerned social network,’’ Daniel Voda specified.    

In these conditions, the authorities came up with more recommendations for the citizens. They are urged to verify the information on the official platform of the government, not distribute video clips from unofficial sources, report the manipulating content on social networks, inform the family and friends about the risks of misinformation, back the national media in combating the misinformation, verify the information from more sources of confidence and critically treat the content sponsored on the suspects websites.

In the last weeks, at least two fake video clips with the logo of the Education and Research Ministry (MEC) have been intensely promoted in the online environment. ‘’They contain untrue information and fake and manipulating stories about MEC’s work,’’ the institution noted.   

The ministry informed that it would ask the competent bodies to identify the people guilty of the concocting and distribution of these falsehoods in the public space. ‘’These actions are part of a vast misinformation campaign which will be boosted, as we near the presidential elections and the day of the referendum,’’ MEC added.