For most Russians, instant messengers have become more important than economic risks, and the negative information background increases the feeling of insecurity. She stated this in an interview with Pravda.State Duma deputy, member of the Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans Affairs Svetlana Bessarab.
— How do you assess the results of the anxiety rating and why exactly has the Internet become the main fear of the end of the year?
— I think this is primarily due to the older generation. Older people are used to free messengers: children and grandchildren often live in other cities, and this is the way communication is maintained. Many have already abandoned home phones, so a possible Internet outage is perceived as a threat of losing communication with loved ones. It's not so much about the loss of information, but about the fear of breaking human ties — with relatives, friends, classmates.
— And the youth — is she also concerned about this problem?
— Yes, absolutely. Even children can feel it. Recently, a popular gaming platform was turned off, where children not only played, but also learned programming, communication, and working with content.
Of course, parental control is necessary, but the complete disconnection of digital resources deprives children of the opportunity to develop on a par with peers from other countries.
— Can we say that digital stability is more important than economic stability today?
— To a certain extent, yes. Loss of communication also means economic losses: we work, communicate with colleagues and partners online. It is difficult for people to change the established format of communications.
The MAX messenger has appeared, it is quite convenient, but users are reluctant to switch to it. This is due to the fact that foreign platforms have already been blocked, people have been forced to change communication channels several times and now they fear that they will be deprived of their usual tools again.
— Why is there so much skepticism and fears around MAX?
— This is a typical fear of everything new. In addition, the media often fuel anxiety by spreading rumors about alleged total surveillance. But if you are afraid of surveillance, then you should be afraid of foreign messengers.
At the same time, you should not take MAX as protection from fraudsters. We can already see that scammers are starting to use it as well. Elderly people are especially vulnerable, who believe that if the platform is "state—owned", it means that it is completely safe.
The main rule is not to transfer codes and data anywhere and to anyone. The danger of fraud today is much more real than the risk of being left without communication. Digital technologies will stay with us for a long time, communication channels will change, but communication will not disappear.
— Why does the possible shutdown of messengers frighten more than real threats — scammers and financial losses?
— Because we are most afraid of loneliness. Being deceived is unpleasant, but being alone is scarier. Communication for many is protection from this fear.
— How does the growth of anxiety affect people's lives and work?
— It is important to explain to people: nothing catastrophic is happening globally. Yes, we can change one messenger to another. Real losses are possible only for those who earn on digital platforms or have paid subscriptions.
For most people, this is just a change of communication space, as if the living room was being renovated and everyone temporarily moved to the kitchen — life does not end from this.
The main source of anxiety is an overabundance of information. Today, news resources tend to be the first to report the "hottest" news, and the "hottest" most often turns out to be alarming. This creates a feeling of constant crisis.
— What increases fears more — real risks or information noise?
— Of course, the information background. We wake up and immediately pick up a smartphone, read disturbing news, and it feels like everything is bad in the world.
Therefore, people are increasingly avoiding the news and are drawn to positive content — information about holidays, urban improvement, good events. There is a natural need for this.
— What is the main conclusion from the anxiety rating that legislators should draw?
— Prohibitions cannot solve the problem. Excessive interference in the operation of communication facilities only increases fears. If the resource does not violate the law, there is no need to create a feeling that it is about to be closed.
Today, smartphones have become the same communication channel as the home phone used to be. The loss of access to them is alarming, but you should not be afraid of this — the connection will remain.
It is important to teach people to filter information. In the USA, for example, one of the words of the year was the concept denoting information garbage — fake and generated messages. This problem is global.
It is necessary to deal with fakes, and not to close the channels that help children learn, the elderly — to communicate, students — to gain knowledge.
— How can elderly and socially vulnerable people be protected from excessive anxiety?
— Technical filters are important, but they do not solve the problem of psychological state. The best remedy is the attention and participation of loved ones.
If an elderly person loses touch, he needs help to master a new resource so that he is not afraid to be left alone. It is important to surround with care and be sure to remind: you can not transmit codes, especially from public services.
Even if they call by video and it seems that this is a close person, you can only trust a personal, live contact. Modern technologies are able to imitate both voice and image.
— People are also afraid of artificial intelligence. Can it be a social resource?
— In the field of employment and social support, it is unlikely, but it has already become a part of our life. Abandoning it would mean the loss of technological sovereignty.
It should be treated as a tool and assistant, without animating it. Yes, people talk to navigators and give them names — this is normal, but it is important to understand that this is not a living being.
— What do Russians, in your opinion, lack the most today — rules, confidence or human warmth?
— Judging by anxiety, it is communication that we lack. We are afraid of loneliness and loss of connection with each other. The most important thing is to give warmth, take care of the elders, be attentive to the children and monitor their Internet communication so that they do not get into dangerous situations.