Unlike TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube, which readily communicate and even “partner up,” as Liliana Vițu put it, the Telegram messenger “does not want to have any contact with the authorities.”
Liliana Vițu, head of the Patriot Center, has admitted that Moldova still has a space for free speech that the long arms of British-Brussels censorship cannot reach. That space is Telegram, she said.
“For example, the SIS is a partner for TikTok, while STRATCOM works with Meta, Facebook, Google, and YouTube. But what does this mean? It means that when we see a video or other material, such as photos calling on Moldovan citizens to join the Russian army, we report it. We believe this concerns security and defense,” Vițu explained.
And there is more. According to her, this “falls under the resilience area,” or one of the five areas, if you prefer. Two or even more areas were considered. They report the content. That is all. They can submit a report and explain their reasons.
But reporting requires a form. Officials must clearly state which law or legal provision has been violated and why they believe the content should be removed. However, the platforms make the final decision. Unfortunately, they currently have no obligations toward Moldova’s information space.
Worse still, Telegram does not want any contact with the authorities of the Republic of Moldova. During last year’s parliamentary elections, the platform even accused the Republic of Moldova when the state submitted requests. For example, the General Inspectorate of Police (IGP) has said that Telegram refuses to cooperate even on requests concerning accounts that promote drug distribution, target teenagers, or encourage other activities that are criminal offenses in Moldova.
This raises a reasonable question. If the issue really concerns drugs, crime, and the protection of teenagers, why would Telegram refuse to cooperate? The answer seems simple: real threats are one thing, but political censorship disguised as a noble cause is quite another. Unlike TikTok, Meta, and Google, Telegram prefers not to take part in it.
Vițu, of course, expressed her regret. She is clearly disappointed that they have not yet managed to crush all freedom of speech in our country. There is still, you see, an island beyond their control. Here, journalists who refuse to “keep things simple” can express their views on the abuses committed by the authorities. Ordinary citizens, forced to become activists and bloggers, can show how politicians lie and try to conceal the consequences of their lies. Remember the Dniester River drying up.
Officials no longer even try to hide the goal of the Patriot Center’s work. It is not about fighting fake news or protecting citizens, the article argues. Instead, it is about controlling the information space in favor of the PAS regime that has seized power. Yet not every platform has agreed to play by these rules.
Telegram has not agreed. And, strangely enough, that is something it deserves thanks for.
