A group of MPs has registered a new draft law No. 11115aimed at regulating the Telegram messenger.
The document is called the «Draft Law on Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Regulation of the Activity of Information Sharing Platforms through which Mass Information is Disseminated». Although the title refers to the regulation of «platforms» (in the plural), the explanatory note pays special attention to Telegram, which has become a de facto news source for many Ukrainians:
«In terms of use for news, the information-sharing platform Telegram exceeds YouTube (as the most popular video access platform) by 4.5 times — 72% vs. 16%, respectively. Obviously, a platform used by 72% of Ukrainians to obtain information should be regulated no less than other media sources with a much smaller reach».
The MPs want to introduce the same regulation for Telegram as the one established by law for platforms such as YouTube. If the bill is passed, information-sharing platforms will be obliged to do so:
- post the terms of use and prohibit the dissemination of information that violates the law of Ukraine;
- to enable users to submit complaints and review such appeals;
- restrict the distribution of illegal content at the request of the National Council;
- to inform the National Council about the ownership structure and sources of funding at its request;
- not to process personal data of children for commercial purposes;
- ensure the presence of a representative of the platform in Ukraine or the EU.
If the platforms violate these requirements or have an opaque ownership structure, they will be banned from use by government and financial institutions. They will also be prohibited from installing software from these providers on official devices.
The National Council will publish a list of unrecommended platforms on its website.
Source: dou