During election time in Aruba, strict regulations apply to radio and television communications. These regulations guarantee fairness and equal opportunity for political parties, but there is a conspicuous lack of similar laws for digital media. Here are the key points from the current rules:
Radio broadcasts
De “Regeling voorschriften radio-uitzendingen politieke partijen” (AB 1991 no. GT 37) stelt dat:
- Political parties with seats in the States or registered lists of candidates are entitled to airtime on radio.
- Parties are given a maximum of 15 minutes of airtime per week outside election time and 30 minutes per week during the campaign.
- Radio operators are allowed to air political ads, limited to 25 ads per party per day, each no more than 60 seconds.
- The code of ethics prohibits misleading information, discrimination, and falsification techniques.
Television broadcasts
Het “Landsbesluit voorschriften televisie-uitzendingen politieke partijen” (AB 1994 no. GT 7) is vergelijkbaar:
- Political parties are entitled to 30 minutes of airtime per week during the campaign period.
- Operators may air up to 100 ads per month per lot, limited to five per day of 60 seconds.
- Again, a code of ethics applies to ensure the fairness and integrity of political advertising.
The Gap in Legislation: Digital Media
Interestingly, there is no legislation for political communication through digital platforms such as social media, websites, or search engines. This means that political parties can use these modern channels without any legal restrictions. In the digital world, there is no control over ad content, frequency, or transparency, which can lead to inequality and potential disinformation.
Conclusion
Traditional media are strictly regulated to ensure fairness and ethics during elections. However, the lack of similar regulations for digital media creates a skewed balance in how political messages are disseminated. This raises the question of whether current legislation should be extended to the digital world to ensure a level playing field for all political parties.
