Government Communication Strategy to “Effectively Combat” Disinformation
The Georgian Government’s Communication Strategy envisages setting up an interagency coordination group “to effectively combat disinformation,” Publika.ge writes. The Communication Strategy was approved on December 11 last year and is not publicly available. Publika informs that it received the document as a result of public information request.
According to the mentioned source, the government’s strategy states that strengthening inter-agency coordination is important to ensure unity and consistency of messages and narratives, to reduce the risk of spreading “unclear” information in society, and to increase public support for government initiatives. The strategy also aims to improve the government’s public image.
The strategy reportedly mentions that disinformation campaigns in Georgia are mainly aimed at undermining public resilience, and discrediting state institutions and Euro-Atlantic integration. When it comes to countermeasures, the Government emphasizes the need to expose the disinformation and instead disseminate unbiased, fact-based information.
The Georgian government also stresses the importance of media literacy. In this regard, the document provides for increased cooperation with the National Communications Commission.
The government plans to strengthen the capacity of communication units operating in various state institutions. The document also mentions that media monitoring units are currently operating in state institutions, covering both traditional and social media.
The strategy document assesses the scope of work of the Strategic Communications Department of the Government Administration and mentions that one of the priority directions of the department’s activity is the fight against disinformation.
Last year that Meta suspended 80 Facebook accounts, 26 pages, 9 groups and 2 Instagram accounts associated with the Georgian Government’s Department of Strategic Communications for “coordinated inauthentic behavior.” According to the report this network targeted multiple apps including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok originated in Georgia and focused on domestic audience.
In December 2023, Georgia was granted the European Union candidacy on the understanding that it will implement nine conditions, including the fight against disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference against the EU and its values.
Also Read:
- 26/12/2023 – Government’s Plan of Measures to Implement European Commission’s Nine Steps
- 07/06/2023 – Study Shows Government Stratcoms’ FB Pages Mainly Criticize the Opposition
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
