In the near future, the Center for Countering Disinformation will start operating in Ukraine, which in the future should become an international hub for combating disinformation and propaganda around the world. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his speech at the All-Ukrainian Forum "Ukraine 30. Culture, Media, Tourism".
The Head of State noted that today there is a struggle in the world between information and disinformation, the victims of which, as in the classic war, can be millions of people.
"Some call it the war of tomorrow, the next millennium. But we, Ukrainians, know from personal experience that in fact it has already lasted for years," the President stressed.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, disinformation disguises itself and has a reliable appearance, hides in details, exploits emotions and unwillingness to analyze.
"No less dangerous is the fact that our country is being attacked by disinformation not only from the outside, but also from within. When the "great patriots" lie about Novi Sanzhary, about the ban for our defenders on the frontline to shoot, about plates with borscht, or when they call the vaccine a word that actually describes the essence of their actions. After all, in the pursuit of their own popularity, they are ready to jeopardize the safety, life and health of Ukrainians," the President added.
The President stressed that the information war is not just disinformation or lies. It is also a cyber threat: malicious codes, viruses, spam.
"These are artificially created so-called thought leaders who see better from Spain how to live in Ukraine. These are mass disinformation media that cover sabotage on the instructions of the aggressor with the freedom of speech. We have ensured and continue to work so that only the TV test chart can be seen on these channels. And on the Internet, in particular on YouTube, they were permanently banned," he said.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the next tasks of the state and society are to realize all the threats to information security and find ways to counter them.
"Today, Ukraine is at the forefront, including at the forefront of the fight against propaganda. At the United Nations, I took the initiative to establish a Center for Countering Disinformation in Ukraine. It will begin its work in the near future and should become an international hub for combating disinformation and propaganda around the world,” the President said.
At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a more conscious and critical attitude to the information we receive from various sources.
"Every time we pick up a phone, turn on a computer, a tablet or a TV, we have to turn on critical thinking. Distinguish truth from lies. Avoid information dumps. Read more than the title. Doubt. It is very important. Check any information in multiple sources. Search for the original source. Keep calm," the President stressed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also called for the introduction of media literacy lessons in the school curriculum.
"And those who graduated a long time ago - our parents, grandparents - should be taught what information hygiene, fakes and propaganda are," the Head of State emphasized.
