Estonia’s Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta demanded that the European Commission add the Telegram messaging service to the EU’s list of very large online platforms (VLOP), ERR reports. She said that an independent count showed that the platform clearly had more users than the threshold to be deemed a VLOP. The listing would force Telegram to…
The Russian and Chinese social media networks, Telegram and TikTok, are being used widely to spread content that poses risks to Latvia’s national security, according to the State Security Service (VDD), BNS reports. Unwanted content on the platforms includes disinformation, propaganda, and recruitment to criminal activity. Moreover, the platforms fail to monitor or delete such…
Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) has asked the Prosecution Office to charge a non-citizen Latvian resident for planning terrorist attacks in Latvia, LSM reports. VDD’s investigation established that the person supports the ideology of the Islamic State terrorist group. The suspect was arrested in May 2024 after explosives, ammunition, and sulfuric acid were found at…
UAE-based messaging platform Telegram has deleted several channels and groups, including ones containing child pornography, following requests from Latvian State Police, LETA reports. However, Telegram has failed to provide information about the creators of the channels. The State Police noted that criminals in Latvia often use Telegram for planning and to sell illegal substances and…
Researchers at Russia’s Pskov State University have compiled an analytical report on the use of Russia’s “soft power” instruments in the Baltic States, Baltic News Network reports. The report discusses the challenges posed by restrictions on Russian propaganda in the region, suggesting alternative methods of influence. The report claims that people in the Baltic States…
A leak of alleged security details of NATO’s summit in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, was linked to a breach of Lithuanian government IT systems, the National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) announced, BNS reports. NKVC director Vilmantas Vitkauskas said that the seriousness of the incident was “likely to be greater than initially thought.” The government chancellery has…
Cyber attackers are conducting targeted DDoS attacks against Lithuania, Liudas Alisauskas, director of the National Cyber Security Centre (NKSC), announced, BNS reports. The attacks disrupted the mobile public transport ticket system, m.Ticket, in Vilnius and the website of the capital city’s development agency, Go Vilnius. Also, NKSC recorded two incidents when anti-NATO disinformation was broadcast…