On the approval of the Information Doctrine of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated March 20, 2023 No. 145.
I DECREE:
1. To approve the attached Information Doctrine of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
2. The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan should develop and approve an Action Plan for the implementation of the Information Doctrine of the Republic of Kazakhstan within three months.
3. This Decree shall enter into force from the date of its signing.
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
K. Tokaev
Approved by Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on March 20, 2023 No. 145
INFORMATION DOCTRINE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN
Astana, 2023
Content
Section 1. Introduction
Section 2. Analysis of the current situation
Section 3. Main provisions
3.1. Goals and principles
3.2. The vision of the information space development
3.3. Approaches to the development of the information space
3.3.1. Improving information policy
3.3.2. Improving the competitiveness and quality of domestic information content
3.3.3. Value content of the information space
Section 4. Conclusion
Section 1. Introduction
The development and ensuring the sustainable functioning and security of the country's unified information space is one of the basic priorities of state policy.
Within the framework of this direction, a set of tasks is being solved related to the formation of an open information space, demanded and strong media, ensuring freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the right of everyone to freely receive and disseminate information in any way not prohibited by law.
At the same time, the new reality in the information sphere and the emerging threats to information security require a rethink of approaches to the implementation of state information policy, a change in the general paradigm of relations between state institutions and other subjects of public relations in the information sphere.
Today, the world is entering a new stage of its development. The process of globalization continues, intensified by the increasingly dynamic development of the information sphere. The development of technology, the massive penetration of new digital and information and communication tools have radically transformed the modern media space.
Geopolitical turbulence and increasing mutual distrust in the international political arena force us to take a new look at the issues of information interaction. The issues of spreading reliable information, countering unreliable and manipulative information, and generally increasing public confidence in the media (hereinafter referred to as the media) are becoming more urgent.
Solving the problems of political modernization and further democratization of public life is associated with the need to liberalize the information sphere, eliminate excessive regulation of relations in the media, and strengthen guarantees of freedom of speech and expression.
They are based on the awareness of the importance of functioning competitive and free media with their own view of the processes taking place in Kazakhstan, the region and the world. The true information security and ideological sovereignty of the country depend on this.
There is also a growing demand for the formation of an integrated system of national values and a political and social worldview, especially in the context of historical turbulence.
In this regard, the Republic of Kazakhstan, as a full-fledged participant in the global information ecosystem, faces the task of developing clear information and communication imperatives and value orientations reflecting the essence of the country's national interests in this area.
The implementation of this strategic task requires the development of a document of a doctrinal, ideological nature, which makes it possible to determine the main vector and basic approaches of state information policy for the long term.
The Information doctrine (hereinafter referred to as the doctrine) represents a system of views on the development of the domestic information sphere, principles and mechanisms for increasing its openness and competitiveness. The doctrine will also define ideological and value orientations that meet the interests of the people and contribute to the further development of the state and society.
Being a fundamental document for the formation of state policy in the information and communication sphere, the doctrine is designed to ensure a balance of interests of society and the state, creating equal conditions for the realization of rights by all subjects of the media process.
The key area of implementation of the doctrine is to ensure the information security of the country and its citizens, timely response to information challenges and risks.
Section 2. Analysis of the current situation
Over the years of independence, Kazakhstan's information policy has gone through several stages of its development. From the early 1990s to the early 2000s, there was a tendency for the domestic television and print industry to actively develop. During this period, the state information policy was aimed at supporting the domestic media, while adhering to the principle of equidistance from all subjects of the media industry.
In the period 2000-2010, with the development of domestic media and the emergence of major players seeking to dominate the information dissemination market, the state information policy was aimed at regulating and strengthening the methods of regulating the media industry.
In recent years, the national media space has been undergoing a gradual but significant transformation. With the advent of new communication channels, the culture of media consumption changed with further segmentation of the audience. The gradual erasure of the boundaries of the information environment has expanded the range of factors influencing mass consciousness.
Meanwhile, the imperfection of communication mechanisms in the system of relations "state - society - citizen" prevents the full implementation of the principle of information openness.
The declared information openness of state and public institutions requires a revision of approaches in planning and conducting information work and the exclusion of manifestations of formalism.
The assessment of law enforcement practice shows poor awareness of society about its right to access information, and a low level of information literacy among the population. This, combined with the low effectiveness of counteraction mechanisms to information stuffing, contributes to a distorted perception of events by consumers and forms erroneous behavioral attitudes.
The danger of spreading provocative and defamatory content in the media space using various manipulative technologies underlines the importance of ensuring the information security of citizens, especially minors.
In addition, with the spread of neural network and deepfake technologies, there is a risk of false video and audio content being injected into the media space.
In general, the openness of the information space has revealed that the republic's media industry is lagging behind global trends, making it difficult for domestic media to compete with foreign media, even in the internal information field. Against this background, the issue of the influence of Kazakh-language information resources on the formation of public consciousness is highly relevant.
An analysis of the development of the information space of the Republic of Kazakhstan shows the need to take measures to protect the domestic information environment from external destructive influences, disinformation, negatively affecting the values and ideological attitudes of citizens and posing a threat to domestic political stability.
At the same time, the development of the domestic media industry in the context of certain types of media has its own characteristics.:
1. Today, print media remain the main source of information for over 9% of citizens. At the same time, there is a direct dependence of interest in reading newspapers on age - the older a person is, the more often he reads print media. The shift of a wide audience to alternative communication channels indicates that public interest in print media is steadily declining.
A similar situation can be seen in television and radio broadcasting. But at the same time, the gap in popularity is especially noticeable by region at the local television level, which is largely due to the low level of monetization and the quality of content offered to the public.
The main television content is filled with series and talk shows of an entertainment nature. There is a shortage of analytical programs, investigative journalism, and vivid journalism - important components of media awareness, a factor in increasing media literacy among the population and forming a critical attitude towards consumed content.
In general, the technical base of all subjects of the broadcasting sector needs serious modernization.
Nevertheless, television and radio remain among the most influential sources of information with the widest audience. In addition, they are a tool for solving the tasks of promptly informing the population in emergency situations, allowing them to reach the most remote points of the country and enable people to keep abreast of events taking place in the country and the world.
It should be noted that domestic television and radio stations have the potential to compete with foreign media giants with due attention. At the same time, there is a noticeable positive trend in the growth of content in the official language, and this trend will only intensify in the medium term.
2. In recent years, Internet resources have been gaining wide popularity among the domestic media, but the issue of producing high-quality content in the official language also remains relevant.
At the same time, online media began to prevail only in the format of news feeds. Along with the creation of specialized news materials, the development of authorial and investigative journalism remains relevant. There is still a lack of timely information to the public on the ground, including due to the lack of professional staff competent in matters of convergent and multimedia journalism.
The positioning of online media mainly as news aggregators has also contributed to the migration of content consumers to social media to a certain extent.
Another relevant issue in this area is the limited market. In a country with a population of 19 million people. It is very difficult for online media to monetize their work, which also negatively affects the competencies of domestic journalists.
3. Thanks to the development of the mobile Internet, social networks have become the main source of information for at least half of the country's population, mainly young people (sociological research in 2021 showed that 45.2% of respondents prefer to receive information on social media).
The development of global messengers and online platforms has radically changed the architecture of the media industry. There is a high increase in the politicization of some social networks, which are becoming one of the sources of misinformation.
The emergence of social networks and instant messengers in the media market has fundamentally changed the process of information exchange, allowing consumers to receive information online. Social networks have become the main communication channel and medium for the dissemination of content, which has led to a decrease in the share of information consumption through traditional media. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has further strengthened the position of social media.
With the development of messengers and the emergence of the phenomenon of blogging, the classical concept of traditional journalism and methods of informing the audience have undergone a transformation.
Currently, the audiences of some bloggers can compete with the audiences of individual media outlets in terms of numbers. At the same time, there is a tendency for the blogosphere to become an alternative channel for obtaining socio-political information.
There is a growing popularity of technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), which will integrate with social networks, providing more active interaction with consumers.
At the same time, the popularity of short and unloaded content in the form of a text excerpt or a video fragment leads to a change in media consumption habits when the mass audience ceases to perceive complex and structured information.
Perceiving the flow of information through short and vivid images does not provide a holistic view, leading to fragmented knowledge. In the absence of critical thinking skills, this creates risks of widespread misinformation and manipulation of public opinion.
Section 3. Main provisions
3.1. Goals and principles
The objectives of this doctrine are to ensure the information security and ideological sovereignty of the country, to build an information policy that meets modern trends and challenges, aimed at consolidating society and strengthening civic identity.
At the same time, the doctrine defines the following basic principles of interaction between all participants in the information sphere:
freedom of speech. The doctrine adheres to the principle of protecting freedom of speech and pluralism of opinions as a fundamental factor in the unity and consolidation of Kazakhstanis;
access to information. The doctrine proceeds from the right of every citizen, guaranteed by the state and enshrined in the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to freely receive and disseminate information in any way not prohibited by law.;
a guideline for development. One of the key objectives of the doctrine is to create conditions for the continuous development and qualitative growth of the entire information space, as well as to increase the competitiveness and demand for domestic media products among citizens.;
trust and confidentiality. Participants in the media process who broadcast information, including the media, should be interested in providing objective and reliable information without elements of distortion and manipulation. All measures should be aimed at increasing the level of trust between all participants in the communication process. At the same time, the doctrine supports everyone's right to privacy, personal and family secrets, and the protection of their honor and dignity.;
ensuring information security. The development of the national information space and the formation of a competitive domestic media sphere should become a key factor in countering and reducing the effects of external challenges, as well as a basic condition for the sustainable development of the industry.
3.2. The vision of the information space development
A balance of interests of all participants in the media process is ensured in the information space.
Legal and institutional mechanisms of regulation and support ensure the dynamic functioning of the domestic media sphere.
Fundamental spiritual and moral, traditional values in the public consciousness determine the main ideological vector in the information space.
The society has developed a stable immunity to destructive, manipulative and unreliable content, and an effective system for protecting the information space from external threats has been created.
Citizens have a high level of media and information literacy.
Independent reputable domestic media produce high-quality content that allows them to compete in the global media market.
The state information policy corresponds to the current trends in the development of the information space, creating prerequisites and conditions for dynamic development.
3.3. Approaches to the development of the information space
Given that Kazakhstan is a part of the global community, the state information policy will involve a systematic response to changing global processes and trends, as well as the active introduction of new tools in accordance with national interests.
At the same time, a balanced and pragmatic view is needed here, taking into account the real conditions both on the external and internal development contours of Kazakhstan.
The measures taken as part of the implementation of the doctrine should contribute to increasing the competitiveness of domestic information products and the entire sphere as a whole; ensuring the dominance of national values in the main political and ideological areas of the information field; developing effective mechanisms to curb external information influence; building a high-quality information presence at the international level; improving the regulatory framework of the industry.
The main approaches to the development of the information space:
improving information policy;
improving the competitiveness and quality of domestic information content;
value content of the information space.
3.3.1. Improving information policy
The state information policy will ensure:
1) promotion of national interests in the internal and external information field;
2) maintaining and developing a competitive and secure national information space, strengthening local media;
3) transformation of Kazakhstan into a regional information hub, formation of a unified strategy for regional integration;
4) strengthening equal and mutually beneficial relations with international information companies of practical interest to Kazakhstan;
5) respect for the balance of interests, rights and freedoms of citizens, society and the state, and their mutual responsibility;
6) effective interaction between the state and society in ensuring dominance in the domestic information space, responding to threats of negative information impact and combating false narratives;
7) implementation of modern information security risk management methods;
8) improvement of mechanisms for countering external information attacks, the spread of destructive ideology, propaganda and disinformation;
9) formation of an optimal model of partnership between the state and the media, including mechanisms to stimulate the development of the media industry;
10) adoption of legislative measures to ensure transparency of the activities of new media entities (Internet platforms, social networks, influencers, etc.);
11) creating conditions for the development of industry journalism and institutions of self-regulation of journalistic activity;
12) ensuring the right of everyone to equal access to information held by the State, which can be restricted only by laws and only to the extent necessary for the protection of the constitutional order, public order, human rights and freedoms, public health and morals.
3.3.2. Improving the competitiveness and quality of domestic information content
In order to increase the competitiveness of domestic media, create high-quality domestic content, and increase its demand, it is planned to:
1) increasing the share of a domestic information product with analytical content, contributing to the development of critical thinking among the population, the formation of stable moral guidelines;
2) support of information projects of scientific, educational, cultural, educational, leisure and other nature for various target groups of the population, aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the nation and strengthening the image of the state;
3) stimulating the entry of domestic producers of information products into foreign markets;
4) creating conditions for improving the professional skills of journalists and influencers;
5) mastering new information trends and digital technologies;
6) reducing the gap in Internet access between urban and rural areas;
7) continuation of the policy of developing telecommunications infrastructure and the introduction of modern domestic technical standards in the field of information and broadcasting.
3.3.3. Value content of the information space
The ideological attitudes broadcast through various media channels should be based on ideas that correspond to Kazakhstan's positions on the world stage, conveying to every citizen the basic values of our society.
The ideological component of the state information policy will be aimed at consolidating society, strengthening moral principles, as well as adherence to the following national values:
1) independence and patriotism as the main value of the Kazakh society. Due to independence, society and the individual have opportunities for free and harmonious development. Patriotism is manifested not only in the willingness of citizens to stand up for independence, but also in the awareness of personal responsibility for the present and future of the country.;
2) Justice, the rule of law and zero tolerance for corruption. The key to the successful development of the country is the formation of fair relations in society, economy and politics. It is necessary to constantly improve the legal culture. Legality and law and order are the main condition for the realization of political, civil, and cultural rights of every citizen. Freedom of speech, combined with the prohibition of censorship and civic responsibility, should remain the main engine for the development of the information sphere.;
3) the state language, history and culture. The state language is a consolidating factor. It is necessary to constantly improve the quality of Kazakh-language content and expand its distribution area. National history and culture are a source of creative energy for society. Cultivating these values creates a solid foundation for mutual understanding and unity in society, shaping the contours of a common future.;
4) diligence and the pursuit of knowledge. These values underlie professionalism and competence, being the key to personal success and improving the well-being of society. In our society, a man of work should become a role model.;
5) Family values and child protection. The foundations of moral education, the continuity of traditions and the preservation of the cultural code of the nation are laid in the family. The information policy is aimed at strengthening the traditional institution of the family and ensuring a happy childhood.;
6) creativity and progressiveness. The energy and talent of citizens is a key factor in the development of the country. Creating conditions for the disclosure of creative abilities and self-realization of citizens will give dynamics to the creative power of the people.;
7) respect for nature and the surrounding world. Environmental friendliness is a strategically important vital principle for all citizens, government and business. The inculcation of ecological thinking should become a key area of information policy.
Section 4. Conclusion
This doctrine is a conceptual document reflecting the philosophy and spirit of the formation of modern state information policy.
The implementation of the doctrine will allow solving many of the problems outlined in the document, preventing possible risks and building a systemic policy in this highly dynamic industry.
Compliance with the basic principles of interaction of all subjects of public relations in the information sphere, declared by the doctrine, will bring the country's media industry to a qualitatively new, competitive level of development.
The result of the implementation of the doctrine should be the formation of the national information space as an organic and equivalent part of the global media market.
The achievement of the goals and objectives of the doctrine will be facilitated by the active involvement of civil society institutions, the media and other subjects of the information space in Kazakhstan. Without the conscious and responsible support of public institutions, it is impossible to ensure full-fledged information sovereignty.
The most important components of this doctrine are the fundamental values that will determine the vector and content of information policy in the long term, contributing to the consolidation of society and the strengthening of civic identity.
The doctrine will improve the state mechanism for countering disinformation, create an effective communication system between all participants in the information process, and help solve information problems as part of the course to build a Just Kazakhstan.
President
Republic of Kazakhstan
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