The representative of the presidential administration called for greater control over social networks

Baku / 16.04.19 / Turan: The number of officials calling for greater control over social networks in Azerbaijan and even for their closure is growing. Thus, on April 16, Aliheydar Zulfugarov, chief adviser of the department of interethnic relations of the presidential administration, at the conference "Religious ideological security and the media," said that social networks are a powerful tool for attacking consciousness.

"It is necessary to protect users from attempts by radical forces and high-risk groups to influence their consciousness, we must prevent this." According to him, in all regions of Azerbaijan

The State Committee for Work with Religious Structures has taken a number of measures to prevent such negative phenomena.

Media expert Alesker Mammadli, in turn, believes that officials in Azerbaijan are detrimental to political pluralism in social networks, rather than fighting religious radicalism.

"Social media plays an important role in pluralism in Azerbaijan, it is the only platform for discussing sociopolitical processes and serious public events.

Government representatives who do not want to solve problems prefer to call social networks as a threat."

According to him, social networks are often used to incite hatred, however the legislation very clearly restricts such actions and provides for appropriate measures, the expert said. -0-