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YEREVAN, JANUARY 21, ARMENPRESS: It is not a secret that Azerbaijan is using all the occasions and possible information means to create anti-Armenian moods. How much is Armenia protected in the information sphere? Are we able to give worthy confrontation to the Azerbaijani propaganda? Armenpress speaks about the raised questions with the information security specialist, vice-dean of the YSU Faculty of Journalism Anahit Menemeshyan.
- Mrs Menemeshyan are we able to give worthy confrontation to the Azerbaijani information attacks?
- Azerbaijan is using any occasion for creating anti-Armenian moods not only in its country but in the international community as well. For doing it this country spends huge sums, provides noticeable means, by the way doing it in a very illiterate way without taking into consideration any boundaries. That is why very often Azerbaijan’s word is deprived of any value. Moreover, if we view many of their news websites it will be impossible to keep from laughing.
Today Armenia has registered serious progress in the information field and manages to give worthy confrontation. I would not say it one or few year ago. Armenia is quite prepared for combating Azerbaijani attacks in the information field. But to do the same as Azerbaijan does is not right as I have said that illiteracy dominates in the media field of that country.
- Which is the most important issue of information security in Armenia?
- The most serious issue as of the moment is lack of staff as we must not only have technical security specialists but also journalists who know the information security tools. Steps are already being undertaken in that direction; for instance in the YSU Journalism Department the subject is being taught.
- Very often we see anti-Armenian materials the reference of which comes to certain Armenian websites. What is the consequence of it? Or what consequences may such publications have?
- I will answer to the question with an example: lately one of the Armenian newspapers published a material about the Azerbaijani army saying that Azerbaijan has a powerful army and economy and is strengthening day by day. The author of the material made reference to another Russian mass media. Of course, it is clear that here the active figures of the Azerbaijani propaganda machine paid the Russia newspaper for publishing the material. It is being done to affect our mind, to show image of powerful Azerbaijan and some of our reporters are taking and spreading it without understanding that they harm their state creating unnecessary atmosphere of fear. Besides ignorance we have another issue as well: in general, unfortunately, our journalists do not understand that it is inadmissible to be guided with narrow personal interests while meeting state interests. Of course more steps must have been undertaken in the information security sphere but for it more serious efforts and means are necessary.