Journalists play a leading role in social media information

"Regardless of your capacity, if you post prohibited information, you are violating the law. For news and documents classified as state secrets, a Facebooker or a journalist who posts such news must be held equally responsible before the law."

That was the answer of Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan to a reporter's question about how to respond to the current "flow" of information in the press and social networks.

With the responsibility of state management of press information, do you feel overwhelmed by the current multi-dimensional information front? In addition to the amount of information on official press publications, which can be named by name, there is also a huge amount of information on social networks, and it seems that the information flow on social networks is attracting readers more and more strongly?

Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan:Vietnam is one of the countries in Asia with a fast Internet development speed. The Internet environment brings many benefits to society, especially information. This is also an inevitable trend of the media industry. However, besides the conveniences that the Internet brings, the risks and negative impacts from the Internet are present and very diverse. Common groups of problems with information on the Internet have been statistically recorded as copyright infringement, invasion of privacy, defamation causing damage to personal honor, disguised advertising, image fabrication, corrections and hyperlinks to external networks.

Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan answers interviews with news agencies and newspapers. Photo: MIC

The risk of cyber espionage has become complex and dangerous. Attacks that paralyze or take control of websites are very serious. We also see the obvious risk of using the Internet environment to spread fabricated information, unverified information, information without reliable sources to slander and defame individuals, organizations and brands; to spread ideology and organize terrorist and destructive activities. Unfortunately, this information is often read, shared and spread, causing negative effects and consequences in society.

The problem of information on social networks in Vietnam today is that the law is not strict and the legal awareness of social network users is poor. As the state management agency of the press, the Ministry of Information and Communications is currently actively building and adjusting policies to minimize the harm caused by the negative side of the Internet while creating conditions for the Internet environment to develop more healthily.

A little narrower, just on social networks, this information highway flows endlessly, touching all aspects of life, and sometimes just a "misstep", the reader will be swept away by its information flow, regardless of whether it is wrong or right, honest or fabricated...

Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan:In essence, information on social networks can create a “butterfly effect”. However, it should also be remembered that the Internet is an environment where information is very easy to verify. A smart reader will equip himself with the skills to search and collect information effectively. I think that fabricated information will be exposed immediately!

Is there no way to stop the flow of information on social networks and filter it for the community with legitimate information in the press?

Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan:Why should we stop the flow of information on social networks? Social networks have goals such as exchanging and sharing information beyond geographical limits, building an online identity model to serve common public needs and community values... We respect the values ​​that have been formed and recognized by the community. Therefore, positive values ​​need to be strongly promoted, while eliminating and limiting negative impacts from online media. The mainstream press is an important, accurate and responsible information channel. However, dealing with the majority of inaccurate information on social networks with information on the mainstream press is an unfunded solution. We must adjust false information that negatively affects individuals, organizations, communities... within the framework of law and ethics.

Newspaper and radio reporters at work. Source: New Hanoi

We need to be frank about this, the most difficult thing about the mainstream press is that not all news can be reported, whether for national interests, state secrets, international diplomatic behavior... meanwhile, social networks are free to spread, even the news that the mainstream press restricts from reporting, the more heated social networks become, and speculate, and attract readers?

Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan:Anything that is stipulated in the law must be done. What is prohibited by law must not be done. Press agencies or social networks, journalists or netizens all enjoy fairness in terms of information. As I said, our laws are not strict, social network users' awareness of law compliance is poor, and responsibility to the community is not high, so there is a conflict of information between press agencies and social networks. Regardless of your capacity, if you post prohibited information, you are violating the law. For news and documents that are classified as State secrets, a Facebooker or a journalist who posts such news must be held equally responsible before the law.

Along with the press, organizing information on Facebook pages or blogs of intellectuals with social prestige to attract transparent information... is certainly also a way for readers to aim for. Of course, no one forces them to provide information in any way, but certainly with their name, their social prestige, their intellectual personality, they know what information is needed and how to inform?

Deputy Minister Truong Minh Tuan:On social networks, people have the right to choose what they write, how they write, and what information they provide to read, to believe or not to believe. Good things spread very quickly, but false information and bad information also spread terribly. Therefore, it is very necessary for individuals with social prestige and community influence to go online to post information, comment, and confirm information... to build a decent information society.

Personally, I also encourage everyone to use social media, especially journalists. It is a useful information channel for the profession. More deeply, journalists are people who understand the law, have the ability to report news, and have a sense of responsibility to the community. Tens of thousands of social media accounts of journalists today are also a useful community with the role of leading information.

Participation in social networks is a personal matter, not prohibited by law, and not prevented by state management agencies. However, at present, when the law is not yet complete compared to the actual development of social networks, the issue of responsibility and awareness towards society is something that participants need to improve further with a constructive spirit.

Thank you, Deputy Minister!

According to Infonet