My Step Faction Proposes to Ban References to Anonymous Sources

A group of deputies from the My Step faction is proposing amendments to the Law on Mass Media to ban referencing anonymous sources. According to the proposed changes, a requirement will be set for online media as well, which will obligate them to include certain details on their websites. These include the name of the media outlet, the full name of the legal entity conducting media activities, its organizational-legal form, address, and, if the media entity is an individual, their name, surname, and address. If the individual is a sole proprietor, they would also need to provide their state registration certificate number and the date of issue, along with contact information such as a phone number and email address.

The proposal suggests adding new provisions to Article 3 of the Media Law, which will clarify a number of concepts, including the definition of anonymous sources. The latter is described as a website registered on the internet with a domain and hosting, or a user account or channel on a website or application, whose management identification data is concealed from the reader. Another new concept introduced involves individuals or legal entities exercising influence over management, described as individuals who separately own at least 10 percent of the charter (equity) capital of a legal entity, including shares, quotas, or voting rights, or hold at least 10 percent participation in the aggregate charter (equity) capital of participant or shareholder legal entities.

Another new concept, sponsorship, refers to the provision of monetary resources, property, works, services, and other rights connected to a mass media outlet by a physical or legal entity, which is unrelated to the distribution of information regarding goods, services, ideas, or initiatives by that mass media outlet.

According to the authors, considering the broad accessibility of the internet to the public, the rapid increase in sources disseminating information on various social platforms, and their lack of regulation, information consumers face risks. Therefore, they propose banning references to sources that do not include the data stipulated by the Law on Mass Media or are anonymous sources (with exceptions for cases specified in Article 9, Part 2 of the law, particularly if the information was obtained from a news agency, stems from a public statement or response of the disputing party or its representative or documents originating from them, or is a literal or faithful reproduction of information contained in public speeches, official documents of state bodies, or the content of any work of authorship, provided that a reference is made to that source during dissemination).

In the context of restrictions on freedom of speech, it is noted that the dissemination of sources with unknown origins—via references to them—can pose risks to national security. Based on contemporary realities and the pace of development of information technologies coupled with the impossibility of implementing regulatory mechanisms, the proposed amendments should not be viewed as restrictions on freedom of speech or obstacles to the free operation of mass media. On the contrary, the amendments primarily aim to protect mass media entities, those conducting media activities, and freedom of speech,” the project states.

According to the authors’ belief, after these proposed amendments, media outlets could practically use information found in sources of unknown origin by disseminating them in their name and bearing responsibility for the information they disseminate, ensuring also their professional duty to verify information before the public.

Another aspect of the amendments pertains to requirements for financial transparency of media outlets. The revenues of a mass media outlet are generated from advertisements, other paid broadcasting time, the sale of its own printed publications, video, audio, and audio-visual materials, subscription fees, sponsorships, and other sources not prohibited by law. The entity conducting media activities is required to publish the financial report of the previous year and information about annual revenues according to sources by March 31 of the current year, both internally in the sequential issue of the media on a physical medium and on the main page of a registered internet domain and hosting website under the title “Annual Report.”

Failing to publish a report on the sources of funding transparency within the legally established timeframe, or referencing prohibited sources, could result in a fine equivalent to five hundred times the minimum monthly salary (500,000 AMD). For the same violation occurring again within a year after administrative penalties have been imposed, a fine equivalent to one thousand times the minimum monthly salary (1,000,000 AMD) is proposed.

The authors of the project are Arthur Hovhannisyan, Hayk Konjoryan, Hamazasp Danielyan, Vahagn Hovakimyan, Taguhi Ghazaryan, and Sargsyan Khandanyan. The project was introduced into circulation on February 1. It should be reminded that for it to be included in the agenda of plenary sessions, it must first receive a positive conclusion from the relevant committee.