A comprehensive draft law regulating the sector has been developed with the participation of various state and public organizations and media industry experts in Uzbekistan. This was announced on May 7 during a roundtable discussion dedicated to the rights of online platform users, the social relations emerging in the field, and modern challenges, held by the Committee on Innovation Development and Information Technologies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.
During the roundtable, it was emphasized that in the current era of openness in Uzbekistan, the internet and social networks are becoming important tools for quickly meeting citizens' information needs and discussing pressing societal issues. Experts' opinions were heard regarding the importance of clearly establishing the rights and legal interests of online platform users based on law in this context.
In this regard, representatives of the Information and Mass Communications Agency participating in the event announced that a comprehensive draft law regulating the sector has been developed with the participation of various state and public organizations and media industry experts.
It was stated that the aim of the project is to define citizens' rights in the use of online platforms and websites at the legal level, and to protect them from illegal content that promotes false information, hatred, violence, and cruelty.
It includes a number of provisions aimed at significantly liberalizing the existing legislation in the field of online platforms and addressing existing gaps in regulation, and their adoption primarily aims to:
- strengthen the rights of online platform users at the legal level;
- ensure legal clarity and consistency regarding the rules for disseminating information on the internet;
- define clear conditions for operating in Uzbekistan for online platform and website owners, creating opportunities for accurate forecasting of conditions for their business models;
- improve the legal framework for mutual dialogue and constructive cooperation between participants in the information sector, including online platforms, bloggers, influencers, and regulatory state bodies;
- increase the level of internet safety, creating clear mechanisms for protecting against information that poses a threat to children's health;
- provide users with legal guarantees to protect them from information that undermines their honor and dignity and the opportunity to seek assistance from the competent authority when necessary.
It was reported that the draft law distinguishes the responsibilities of influencers and bloggers, with the obligations of bloggers being significantly eased.
During the roundtable, the new legal institutions introduced by the project were discussed in detail, and it was concluded to submit it for public discussion.
Photo: Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis
