Nghe An: Hair salon owner heavily fined for posting false information on Facebook

Tran Van Tai works with authorities on the morning of January 3, 2020. Photo: Quoc Son

On the morning of January 3, 2020, the Department of Internal Political Security - Nghe An Police coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications of Nghe An province to summon Tran Van Tai, born in 1994, permanent residence in Thanh Long commune (Thanh Chuong), temporary residence in hamlet 3, Nghi Phu commune (Vinh city). Tran Van Tai is the owner of a personal Facebook account named "Hair Salon Tran Tai 134a, Ly Tu Trong, Vinh city". Tai was summoned for posting false information on social networks, causing confusion in public opinion recently.

According to Tran Van Tai's testimony, on the morning of December 3, 2019, Tai read information on Facebook about a group of mysterious black-faced people with many suspicious actions in Hanoi. Knowing that this information was being followed by many people, Tai copied the content, images, and videos on social networks, then edited and added content affirming that Tai had "seen" them on Route 3-2 (ie Lenin Avenue - Vinh City), then posted it on the Facebook page "Hair Salon Tran Tai 134a Ly Tu Trong Vinh City".

Tran Van Tai violated the Law on Cyber ​​Security and was punished by the authorities. Photo: Quoc Son

The information posted by Tai received 5,000 likes, thousands of comments and more than 2,400 shares, causing public confusion.

After public opinion reflected and through monitoring and checking on cyberspace, the authorities discovered that 5 Facebook pages from December 3 to 5, 2019 posted information about the appearance of a mysterious black-faced group with many suspicious behaviors operating in Nghe An, including the Facebook page "Hair Salon Tran Tai 134a Ly Tu Trong, Vinh City". Focusing on verifying and grasping public opinion and public feedback at locations where some Facebook pages said that a group of "mysterious black-faced" beggars appeared, the results showed that there was absolutely no such subject as Tran Van Tai had "seen".

The image was captured by the authorities using technical measures and printed from the Facebook account "Hair Salon Tran Tai 134a Ly Tu Trong, Vinh City". Tran Van Tai is the account owner of this Facebook page.

Working with the authorities, Tran Van Tai admitted that he did not see the mysterious black-faced beggars in Vinh City. Tai's purpose and motive for posting was to know about the mysterious black-faced beggars that were receiving attention and following from many people, so he wanted to warn others and attract access and interaction to his barber shop's Facebook page.

This is the subject that has caused public confusion in the northern provinces recently, and has been reposted by many Facebook account holders to attract interactions. Photo: Internet.

Along with Tran Van Tai, the Investigation Agency also summoned and worked with 4 other personal Facebook account owners. The reason also posted about the mysterious black-faced man begging in localities in Nghe An province.

According to Mr. Tran Anh Tuan - Chief Inspector of the Department of Information and Communications of Nghe An province, the act of posting false information, causing public confusion, has an administrative penalty of 10-15 million VND; more dangerous acts will be prosecuted criminally.

This is an expensive lesson for those who lack legal knowledge when participating in social networks.

Tran Van Tai's behavior violated the law as prescribed in:

According to Point d, Clause 1, Article 8, Law on Cyber ​​Security 2018:“False information causes confusion among the people, damages socio-economic activities, causes difficulties for the operations of state agencies or public servants, and infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of other agencies, organizations and individuals.”

Point a, Clause 3, Article 64, Decree 174/2013/ND-CP dated November 13, 2013 of the Government stipulating administrative sanctions for violations in the fields of post, telecommunications, information technology and radio frequencies:“Providing false information, slander, distortion, or insulting the reputation of agencies, organizations, and the honor and dignity of individuals”; the violations of the above subjects (individuals) are subject to fines ranging from 10,000,000 VND to 15,000,000 VND. In addition to the Information and Communications Inspectorate; People's Committees at all levels, Decree 174/2013/ND-CP also stipulates the sanctioning authority of the People's Public Security.