Internet services need to be tightly controlled.

(Baonghean)- In recent years, in Nghe An, Internet service business activities have developed strongly with over 600 shops and agents, thereby helping people to have better access to information, creating diversity in occupations, services as well as income for a part of the people. However, besides that, there are still negative impacts and impacts caused by this activity, which originate from the violation of legal regulations by business establishments...

Dam Lieu Internet Cafe, at 143 Nguyen Van Cu Street (Vinh City) is considered the oldest and most invested Internet service business in Vinh City; over 60 computers, a counter selling all kinds of game cards, and serving food and drinks on site. Customers here are mainly students. The usual scene at the cafe is dozens of people engrossed in playing violent online games on their computer screens. In hidden corners, a few young men are engrossed in watching sex movies and photos. Right in the middle of the cafe, dozens of other people are wrapped around 3-4 illegal gambling machines. The cafe always smells of cigarettes, and is filled with loud, vulgar language and swearing.

The above scene can be seen at any Internet service shop or agency in Vinh City. And through the reporter's survey, almost 300 Internet shops in the city do not fully comply with the regulations: only provide Internet services and online games from 8am to 10pm every day; record the names of visitors; must clearly post the rules for using Internet services, opening and closing hours, service fees and fire prevention and fighting; each server must install management software to prevent users from accessing information pages with prohibited content; and in particular, for Internet agents providing online game services, they must be at least 200m away from the entrance gates of schools... For example, 3 adjacent Internet cafes at the intersection of Dang Tat and Ly Tu Trong streets, Ha Huy Tap ward (less than 100m from Nguyen Truong To High School and Nghe An College of Economics and Technology) are open day and night to serve "gamers" who are dropouts.

Internet cafe on Nguyen Van Cu street, Vinh city

In addition, many shops still allow children under 14 years old to access the internet and play online games without an adult; many agents even register their business licenses incorrectly (registering for internet services but allowing customers to play online games)... Violations of internet shops in Vinh City did not just arise now but existed long before. And it is from these violations that there has been a period of time when conflicts leading to fights and public disorder have occurred at internet shops in the city; the theft of motorbikes and bicycles of customers coming to internet shops is also quite common, causing much anger among the people. The city and provincial police have even investigated and discovered that some subjects have used internet shops that were opened at the wrong time to make appointments to rob property, or lure victims to commit fraud and property appropriation.

The reasons leading to the above situation are that the management of internet service business has been implemented but the local government has not yet taken action; some legal documents have not yet been disseminated to internet agency businesses; inspections are often just formalities... And it must also be said that there are many prohibitions but there are still no sanctions (such as prohibiting children under 14 years old without an adult accompanying them), or the penalties are not strict, creating conditions for some internet service businesses to "circumvent the law". For example, to deal with the regulation of cutting off the internet connection contracted with the business agency, the service business after 11pm, the shops use 2 internet lines at the same time (one line contracted with the business agency and one line contracted with the family).

Mr. Tran Dinh Tuan, Chief Inspector of the Department of Information and Communications, said: On March 11, 2013, the Department of Information and Communications decided to establish an inspection team to directly inspect and examine units and agents providing internet services. Initially, the inspection team inspected 30 internet service agents in Vinh City, discovered 11 agents in violation, and imposed administrative fines totaling VND 8,105,000... In order to effectively manage internet services and online games, in the near future, penalties will be more "strong", and inspections and checks will be carried out more frequently.

Article and photos: Thanh Son