Launching the event, President Raimonds Vejonis said media literacy and Latvia's information space were integral parts of wider security issues.
"This is a chance for us all to learn and remember that we can't separate news from media and the people who are in the media," Vejonis said.
First to the podium following the President was renowned Russian broadcaster and writer Artemy Troitsky who said Kremlin propaganda is in some ways more effective in the Baltic states than it is in Russia itself. Troitsky also spoke to LSM on the subject.
[QUOTES]
"In Russia fake news influences people less than in the Baltic states," he claimed.
"In Russia the purpose is to unify the county around the Kremlin, to create imagined stability. Overseas it's exactly the opposite - to create division and scorn."
"In the Baltics it's clear the main fake news recipients are the Russian residents who are mad at life in general and separated from baltic social and cultural life. Older Russians have a definite nostalgia for soviet times," Troitsky said, whereas younger people had "a certain immunity to fake news."
"They are leaning towards Europe. The number of people affected by propaganda is decreasing. The other good news is that fake news is generally not aggressive, not inspiring Russian speakers in the baltic states to aggression. This was observable in 2014 but not any more," Troitsky said.
The discussion took place under the auspices of the Baltic Center for Media Excellence. Director Rita Rudusa apoke to LSM about how the organization might contribute to attempts to counter fake news.
President @Vejonis opens topical discussions on Latvia's security and #fakenews #viltuszinas @Rigas_pils pic.twitter.com/TMJscUdEPS
— Olli Kantanen (@OlliKantanen) May 19, 2017
Research unveiled by the SKDS pollster suggested that while people believe themselves to be quite sceptical about suspect news stories, they may not be quite as good at identifying them as they think.
SKDS director Arnis Kaktins summarized the findings for LSM.