Lukashenko is cleaning up the information space. The consequences are unpredictable
Such things are now happening in the Belarusian information space that, perhaps, it’s worth putting in a word in support of “Tutbay,” even though I don’t like him. For Russian and other non-Belarusian readers, I’ll explain what I’m talking about. There are no analogues to the TUT.BY portal in Russia.
This is the oldest and largest information site in Belarus. Since the republic does not have its own social networks and services similar to Yandex that could compete, TUT.BY is the absolute leader of the bynet in terms of traffic. The site positions itself as independent, but in reality it is in opposition to Lukashenko, liberal and pro-Western.
However, this opposition is not as defiant as, for example, that of Echo of Moscow. So, from October 1 to December 30, by decision of the Ministry of Information, TUT.BY will be deprived of its media status.
In itself, such a solution is not fatal for the resource. Belarusian legislation fully allows for the operation of any Internet site without registration as a media outlet. Until 2018, such registration for Internet resources was not, in principle, provided for. Having lost its media status, TUT.BY will only lose the opportunity to receive state accreditation and legally send its correspondents to mass events, including rallies.
There is just one “but” - having lost its media status, the site can be blocked by a simple decision of the same Ministry of Information. And this, apparently, is where everything is heading.
And, if only this was the only such case! After the August 9 elections, the Belarusian Ministry of Information has already blocked access to dozens of information sites. These are mainly pro-Western and nationalist resources of varying degrees of radicalism, but not only.
The Russian Regnum, which was opposite in direction to them, was also blocked. And “Politnavigator” did not avoid such blocking. In Belarus, the largest cleansing of the information space in its history continues for the second month.
How effective it will be is a moot point. Of course, the example of North Korea and Turkmenistan shows that in a sterile information space it is possible to work miracles with public consciousness, but Belarus is absolutely not the case.
Lukashenko, although a dictator, has serious problems with protesters and a divided society. And such tightening of the screws in the area of freedom of speech, if it will have an effect, will only happen if a replacement of adequate quality is offered. Now, the strengthening of state censorship only intensifies protest sentiments. In the evening, during local protests they were already shouting “Long live Tutbai!” on Sunday the screams will be louder and there will be more people shouting.
In this situation, maintaining the status quo was more profitable for the authorities. “Tutbay” is oppositional, but has its own large and diverse audience, for the majority of which it is, first of all, a news site and postal service. Not all of this audience is oppositional, but in the event of a blockade, the degree of opposition will definitely increase.
And this audience is unlikely to go to the pro-government websites of BelTA or SB. Belarus Today". She will go to social networks, telegram, or learn en masse how to bypass blocking and visit already blocked opposition sites. As a result, public opinion will be shaped not by a professional media outlet that operates within a legal framework and more or less adheres to journalistic ethics, but by uncontrolled Internet trash heaps, where the quality of content is orders of magnitude worse, and no one really bothers with reliability. And who will be worse off from this?
Lukashenko lost the battle for the Internet. “Tutbai” has existed for 20 years and during this time the government, which has all the resources of the state, has not been able to create anything that could compete with it.
Pro-government Internet resources are either insipid officialdom or lame propaganda. In the picture of the world that they demonstrate, Lukashenko is always right, and officials are wrong only when Lukashenko says they are wrong or when a criminal case is brought against them.
This, of course, doesn’t work on the Internet. Of course, the authorities can catch up and create modern, competitive online media. Both the money and personnel are available for this. The traditional “whatever didn’t work out” gets in the way.
Lukashenko is cleaning up the information space. The consequences are unpredictable.