The Verkhovna Rada denies readiness to consider a draft law on Telegram regulation
30 August 2024 14:02
EXCLUSIVE
Recently, anonymous TG channels have been spreading information about the possible introduction of a new draft law on the regulation of Telegram in Ukraine in the coming weeks. To understand the situation, "Komersant Ukrainian" asked Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, MP and chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, for a comment.
“Messages in Telegram channels are rarely true,”
– yurchyshyn said, adding that the situation in reality is quite different.
According to the MP, there are currently two relevant draft laws, but none of them is ready for consideration.
Draft law No. 11115 “on regulation”
Back on 25 March, a number of MPs, including Yurchyshyn himself, registered draft law No. 11115 “on amendments to certain laws of Ukraine on the regulation of the activities of information sharing platforms through which mass information is disseminated” in the Verkhovna Rada. Since then, the document has been pending in the committee.
“The law on regulation is not ready to be submitted to the parliament, as the relevant committee decided to revise it in accordance with European standards,”
– explains the MP.
Draft law from the Ministry of Digital Transformation
The MP also recalls the draft law No. 11492 “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On Sanctions’ regarding the prohibition of the use of software products and access to electronic information resources”. This document was prepared by the Ministry of Digital Transformation and submitted by the government to parliament on 19 August. Since then, it has also been sitting in the committee.
“There is a draft law by the Ministry of Digital Transformation that expands the concept of sanctioned activities to include a separate component – the facilitation of criminal offences through social media, such as child pornography, financial fraud, and the like. In principle, it has nothing to do with the regulation of Telegram,”
– yurchyshyn clarifies.
Thus, he refutes the information about any new draft laws on Telegram to be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada.
“Therefore, this information is completely untrue. All the bills that may somehow relate to the regulation of social networks are currently being finalised in committees, not submitted to the parliament,”
– concludes Yaroslav Yurchyshyn.
Details of the draft law on Telegram regulation No. 11115
The explanatory note to the draft law states that Telegram is used by 72% of Ukrainians to receive information, and therefore it should be regulated no less than other media sources with a much smaller reach.
Telegram will be defined in the law as a platform for sharing information through which mass information is disseminated (a platform on which accounts – pages, channels, etc. of users through which mass information is disseminated – are created and function).
Thus, it will be classified as a media entity.
Telegram and other similar social networks will be obliged to submit to the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting information on the ownership structure, applications for amendments to the Register and updated information on the ownership structure.
If Telegram fails to provide the National Council with information about its representative in Ukraine or an open representative office in any EU member state, its ownership structure will be recognised as non-transparent. In this case, it will be banned from being used by government agencies and officials.
Telegram channels (in case of voluntary registration) will also be classified as online media.
Telegram will be obliged to publish refutations and restrict certain information that, in particular, infringes copyright and related rights.
The draft law has been sent to the relevant committee for consideration.
Meanwhile , the SBU said that it does not have the technical ability to block Telegram. And Budanov believes that Telegram can be used in favour of Ukraine.
