Interior Ministry addresses Kazakhstanis ahead of the referendum

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has addressed citizens ahead of the referendum scheduled for March 15. The ministry warned about the possible spread of false information and urged Kazakhstanis to treat online messages with caution.
According to the ministry, during such important periods the number of information attacks online traditionally increases. The main purpose of fake messages and deliberate disinformation is to mislead the public and confuse people. The ministry noted that modern tools make it possible to create content that is almost impossible to distinguish from official news or statements.
The ministry reminded citizens that the spread of knowingly false information is a violation of the law.

“In a short time, any user can create convincing materials capable of misleading people. We would like to emphasize that the dissemination of knowingly false information is a violation of the law. Such actions entail administrative and criminal liability,” the ministry stressed.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs urged Kazakhstanis to be attentive to information and not to share questionable messages.
According to ministry representatives, people should be especially cautious about posts in messengers and social media if they are distributed without links to official sources.

“Do not trust unverified messages, especially those shared in messengers and social networks without links to official sources,” the statement says.

The ministry also advises people not to forward suspicious information.

“If you see suspicious information, do not pass it on. This is exactly how fake news most often spreads,” the Ministry explained.