Considering the state of emergency declared by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Security and Intelligence Service of the Republic of Moldova notes that national and international alarming situation regarding COVID-19 became a news topic, used to alter the publicly available informational content (by manipulation, misinformation, withholding or falsifying information). Certain anonymous websites spread massively such information in the Internet in order to generate panic, tensions or social conflicts.
SIS states that anonymous administrators of those “fake news” sites seek to undertake subversive activities in the information space, which would be able to affect the information security of the Republic of Moldova during the period of crisis. Their actions can incite: social hatred, mass disorders and security undermining of the Republic of Moldova – that fall under art. 1 let. a) of the Law No 54-XV of 21.02.2003 on Countering Extremist Activity.
In this connection, Security and Intelligence Service, according to its functional duties, established that commercial and non-commercial legal entities do not have information in their registers about such broadcasters, which could have a news agency status in order to benefit from legal guarantees according to art. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 of the Press Law No 243-XIII of 26.10.1994.
Considering the above-mentioned, in order to eliminate the causes and conditions that contribute to threats to the national security, according to entry 13 let. f), entry 14-21 of the Information Security Concept of the Republic of Moldova, approved by Law No 299 of 21.12.2017, art. 9 let. c), art. 10, para. (1) let. h) of the Law No 753-XIV of 23.12.1999 on Security and Intelligence Service of the Republic of Moldova; art. 3-5, art. 7-8 of the Law No 54-XV of 21.02.2003 on Countering Extremist Activity, the SIS leadership decided executive measures for eliminating causes and conditions that contribute to threats to the national security.
Therefore, the following are among binding instructions:
1. Providers of electronic communications networks and services will cease the access of the Internet users from the Republic of Moldova to fake news websites / according to the Annex/ during the state of emergency.
2. Providers of electronic communications networks and services (Internet access services) will be informed about this executive instruction and list of the websites that spread fake news, according to the Annex.
3. National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) will inform all providers of electronic communications networks and services, public authorities with responsibilities in this field about the list of fake news websites, according to the annex, and will monitor the execution of this instruction.
4. Providers of electronic communications networks and services, public authorities with responsibilities in the field of electronic communications will be warned that non-execution of the instructions will lead to the application of sanctions according to art. 336 and art. 349 of the Contravention Code.
The electronic version of the document and the list of fake news sites can be found on the official website of the Service: www.sis.md.
20.03.2020
