MP from Georgian Dream satellite party says ‘social networks’ should be regulated

Sozar Subari, a member of the People’s Power party, a satellite of the ruling Georgian Dream party known for its anti-Western rhetoric, has proposed regulating ‘social networks’ during a debate in parliament on amendments to the broadcasting law.

According to him, social networks can have a much bigger influence on public opinion than television and radio. It was unclear if Subari was referring to social media or online news outlets, or both.

‘There are other means of information, print media […] But social networks still cover the largest audience and have the widest influence’, he said.

‘It would be very good if we started working on regulation in this area as well, so that human dignity and private life are protected, and insults to people are punishable [in order] to protect people. What is happening in the media today is unacceptable in many cases’.

Subari did not specify in what specific form he proposed the establishment of the aforementioned regulations, nor did he talk about when they should be presented.

On Monday, Archil Gorduladze, chair of the Legal Committee of the parliament, stated that although the amendments to the broadcasting law will not affect online and print media, ‘there is an additional challenge with the development of technologies’ and work in this direction can continue.

‘With the development of modern technologies, alternative sources of information dissemination have emerged, and the flood of information that comes from various platforms or from various online media is certainly a challenge’, he said.

‘A large part of society receives information from these media, and we can continue to work on regulating this issue so that human rights are protected both in terms of the dissemination of information in broadcasters and in terms of the dissemination of online media’.

For several weeks now, the ruling Georgian Dream and its satellites in parliament have been actively introducing amendments to various laws, thereby restricting a number of rights.

On Tuesday, parliament passed amendments to the law on broadcasting in their first hearing. The law primarily concerns television and radio broadcasts.

The amendments dictate how broadcasters are able to receive funding, prohibiting them from receiving indirect or direct funding from a ‘foreign power’.  An explanatory note attached to the draft amendments stated that these restrictions would not apply to commercial advertising, teleshopping, sponsorship, and product placement in programmes.

In the beginning of February, the parliamentary leader of Georgian Dream, Mamuka Mdinaradze, announced that amendments would be made to Georgia’s broadcasting law, stating that they would make the legislation ‘in line with the British model and legislation’.

During the same session, parliament also approved amendments to several other laws and a new legislation meant to replace the controversial foreign agent law.

In barrage of legislation, Georgian Dream approves new foreign agent law in its first reading

The ruling party claims that the new law is a word-for-word translation of America’s Foreign Agents Registration Act.

OC MediaYousef Bardouka