'Fake news 16+' and our bravery

It seems like sinceCovid-19 pandemicAs the number of fake news increases, the scope for rumors is expanding. In the past few years, the fines for fake news alone have probably reached tens of billions, a sad record. Unfortunately, the fines and the public “naming and shaming” of violators on mass media have not been able to “knock out” this problem. The proof is that every day when you open your eyes and go online, you can immediately encounter rumors.

The story of "Vinh City applying the 16+ directive" yesterday is an example of the sharpness of the "sense of smell", someone can even "smell" the smell of lockdown. A part of our people is also strange, it seems that the more afraid they are, the more reckless they are. Seeing "diaper" sisters running around buying and stockpiling things feels like the end of the world has been put on the calendar by God. Without beating around the bush, the "16+" rumor has directly hit the "shopping nerve" of a rather large part of the population.

On the afternoon of August 19, rumors appeared on social media that Vinh City was applying Directive 16+, causing panic among residents and a rush to stockpile food. Screenshot: Thanh Phuc

The market was bustling with people. Someone sarcastically lamented, “I admit, when it comes to jostling, Vietnamese people “never get left behind”. Like a hunger of curiosity, like a show of need to prove their up-to-dateness. “Internal” messages that penetrated every corner of the network. Phone calls were urgent, urgent, hot, like: “Have you bought anything yet? Ha? I wonder if 16 points will really be applied tomorrow? Fainting”. “Mụ Y, I have ducks, give me 5, and geese and eels too, tomorrow I’ll be 16+”. “Hạ, I’m short on vegetables, only 5 bunches of water spinach”. “Have you bought Andrographis paniculata and fever reducer yet? Buy it, buy it, buy it”. The phone was still “buzzing with birds and animals”.

Vegetables, food, eggs... at Kenh Bac market were crowded with people on the afternoon of August 19. Photo: Nguyen Phe

When I opened the internet, I saw the same "16+" copied and pasted. Everywhere was covered up as if this was valuable information leaked from some powerful drawer. How ridiculous, where did it come from? Unfortunately, information is sometimes only attractive in a "hidden" form, but when it is publicly announced to the house, the interest is no longer put on the priority list. Looking out on the street, people are still frantically racing to catch up with "16+". Outside, the phones are still chattering, "A rooster is 300,000 VND, huh, it's 350,000 VND already?". The disease of gossiping has become chronic. Everyone tries to share information quickly to prove that they are a big shot in front of other big shot channels.

In recent years, people have had to get used to the problem of rumors. Let's try not to let it run rampant and drive us crazy. Fake news has not run out of room, and it may exist forever like a "seasonal flu" if we are still easily "fooled". Society needs to form antibodies and to some extent "community immunity" to this problem. Fake news takes up social networks as a place to live, so fake news itself can be boycotted and eliminated by social networks.

Vinh City residents rush to buy goods due to false rumors

(Baonghean.vn) - Immediately after the rumor that Vinh City would apply Directive 16+ from tomorrow (August 20), banning all people from going out except for functional forces on duty to fight the epidemic, people in the city rushed to buy goods, on online food shopping sites, orders increased dramatically, "running out" of shippers.

Do you remember a few months ago, when Vinh city discovered the first Covid-19 case, less than 12 hours later, information appeared that "20 cases already". To add to the appeal, there was also the bait "This is confidential information from a family member next door (...) just reported. For sure, about to be announced. Everyone be careful". However, it only spread on the internet for a few hours before dying. People started gossiping about the victim's "side job", and even a list of "loyal customers" appeared. It was shared at a dizzying rate and then it was "buried" by the same people who shared it right after that. A few years ago, there was even a story about the end of the world. How many people lived in fear until the so-called end of the world passed without a word of extension, then they tearfully realized that they had been deceived!

The 4.0 revolution has come to your doorstep. Gone are the days of “forbidding listening to enemy radio”. Now, you can open your eyes and encounter rumors. Tonics take a long time to work, but poisons work very quickly. Anticipating danger is also a way to save yourself.

In this “hot oil and fire” moment, no one can dispel rumors faster than ourselves. Not creating rumors or following them is our civic duty at this time. The more rumors are spread on social media, the more brave we must be, that’s all.