Operational Work of Relevant Bodies Needed to Prevent Misinformation: Abrahamyan

Director of the Analytical Center "Henaket" Tigran Abrahamyan posted on Facebook: "In connection with the situation created in Syunik and the related news flows, the National Security Service has issued a statement, warning that 'the NSS of the Republic of Armenia strictly warns against disseminating misinformation, causing panic among the population, and inciting unnecessary tensions, and informs that such phenomena will have appropriate legal consequences with the use of the most severe instruments.'

To prevent the dissemination of misinformation and to mitigate the threats to information security, it is primarily necessary for relevant bodies to carry out operational and competent work. Information vacuum, low trust in official information, inadequate provision or management of information flows, and contradictory information coming from various government bodies lead to uncontrollable information risks.

Thus, as a concerned entity, the NSS's concerns and anxieties are understandable, but the solutions to regulate the situation lie elsewhere. To address the issue, it is essential first to accurately diagnose the situation because without this, it is impossible to achieve solutions to the aforementioned security challenges. Secondly, it is necessary to use effective tools, select the right targets, and conduct all of this through the efficient, organized work of involved entities, media, and sectoral experts, rather than under threats. Unfortunately, none of the aforementioned factors or prerequisites currently exist, thus rapid solutions are not visible in any way."