Preventing fake news and misinformation on social networks

Many cases of posting false information were handled

Recently, the use of social networks to slander, defame, and insult the reputation of agencies, organizations, and personal dignity, negatively affecting social life has been very complicated.

The authorities have taken action to strictly handle violations. Typically, on May 10, 2024, Ky Son District Police issued a decision to administratively fine PVN (born in 1997), residing in Pha Khao village, Pha Danh commune, VND 7.5 million for providing and sharing false information, damaging the reputation of agencies and organizations (stipulated in Point a, Clause 1, Article 101, Decree 15/2020/ND-CP dated February 3, 2020 of the Government).

The reason for the above behavior originated from the fact that at around 9:00 p.m. on April 22, 2024, when PVN was driving a motorbike with license plate 37F1.959.84 from Hoa Son village, Ta Ca commune to Muong Xen town, he was ordered by Task Force 373 (Ky Son District Police) to stop the vehicle and check for alcohol concentration. However, N. did not comply and used challenging and inappropriate words towards the authorities.

After that, this subject posted articles and videos with false content about the district police force on the Facebook account "NC". Through investigation, PVN admitted its violations.

Previously, on November 2, 2023, Do Luong District Police discovered an account posting a video of a group of female students fighting along with many conflicting comments on social media. Upon verification, the above account belonged to Ms. TT D (born in 1985, residing in Nghia Thai Commune, Tan Ky District), and the video Ms. D posted was of an incident that occurred on September 23, 2023, when a number of students had a personal conflict that led to a scuffle and fight. Afterwards, the students reconciled and left.

Although she was not a witness and did not know the nature of the incident, but only watched the video that was circulated, Ms. TT D interpreted the above content and posted false information on her personal account, causing public confusion. Working with the police, Ms. TTD admitted that she was careless and did not understand the content clearly before hastily posting it on her personal account.

Do Luong District Police coordinated with Tan Ky District Police to issue a decision to administratively fine Ms. TTD 7.5 million VND for providing and sharing fabricated information, causing confusion among the people.

Similarly, in June 2023, a woman residing in Quynh Thanh commune, Quynh Luu named TVC (born in 1993) was also fined 7.5 million VND by the authorities for using her VCM Facebook account to post false and distorted content about the incident in which some strangers attacked the headquarters of the People's Committee of the commune in Dak Lak province.

At the police station, the subject confessed that while accessing social networks, he read information about the incident in Dak Lak. Due to not researching carefully, he posted on his personal account untrue and unverified content, insulting the reputation of the local government and the police force (violating Point a, Clause 1, Article 101, Decree No. 15/2020/ND-CP dated February 3, 2020 of the Government regulating administrative sanctions in the fields of post, telecommunications, radio frequencies, information technology and electronic transactions (amended and supplemented in Decree No. 14/2022/ND-CP).

After working with the police, Ms. TVC removed the article and posted a correction.

According to the authorities, although they have stepped up propaganda work combined with handling acts of spreading fake news and untrue news on social networks and platforms such as Youtube, Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, Viber, Wechat, Zalo... However, for many different purposes, fake news and untrue news still appear, causing confusion among people, affecting the local security and order situation.

In addition, social networks are also thoroughly used by hostile forces and opportunists as a tool to sabotage the Party and the State, spreading distorted and malicious information, especially before and during elections; taking votes of confidence; holidays, events, and major anniversaries of the country and localities.

At the recent meeting of the Cyber ​​Security and Safety Subcommittee, Mr. Dinh Xuan Khoa - Deputy Head of the Cyber ​​Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department (Nghe An Provincial Police) said: In the first months of 2024 alone, the authorities promptly detected, fought, and handled 27 cases of providing and sharing fake information, false information, distorted information, slander, and insulting the reputation of agencies, organizations, and the honor and dignity of individuals. Thereby, decisions were made to impose administrative penalties on 12 cases, collecting 75 million VND to the State budget.

In addition, the authorities have also investigated and clarified 26 cases, broken 23 projects, and arrested 215 subjects who used cyberspace to commit crimes.

Building a people's security posture on social networks

Vietnamese law, focusing on the Penal Code and the Law on Cyber ​​Security, strictly prohibits acts of providing false or fabricated information, infringing upon honor, reputation, dignity, or causing damage to socio-economic activities, causing difficulties for the operations of state agencies or public servants, or infringing upon the legitimate rights and interests of agencies, organizations, and individuals.

Accordingly, the act of posting fabricated, untrue information that causes public confusion may be subject to administrative penalties under Point a, Point d, Clause 1, Article 101 of Decree 15/2020/ND-CP dated February 3, 2020 of the Government or criminal proceedings under Article 288 of the 2015 Penal Code on the crime of "Illegal provision or use of information on computer networks and telecommunications networks". The highest administrative penalties are fines from VND 200 million to VND 1 billion or imprisonment from 2 to 7 years.

If information is provided for bad purposes causing serious consequences affecting social security and order, in addition to being fined, violators also face the risk of imprisonment.

Therefore, the police agency recommends that social network users strictly comply with the provisions of the law; be alert when receiving information, especially articles and videos with unclear content and nature of the incident, unofficial information sources; absolutely do not post or share information that violates the law, insults honor, dignity, affects organizations and individuals; do not use offensive language, violates customs and traditions on social networks. "Verifying information before posting or sharing is extremely necessary to avoid legal consequences and security and order", the representative of the functional sector emphasized.

To prevent and effectively combat the use of cyberspace to violate national security and social order and safety, along with solutions to promote propaganda work in many forms; strictly handle violations to increase education and deterrence... on November 6, 2023, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Decision No. 29 on regulations on speaking and providing information to the press; handling information posted and broadcast in the press and information reflected on social networks of State administrative agencies in the province.

It clearly states that when detecting information reflected on social networks that is incorrect or has partly incorrect content about the performance of tasks and public services of agencies; of cadres, civil servants and public employees in agencies, units and localities, the head of the State administrative agency shall send a document requesting the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Information and Communications to handle organizations and individuals posting and broadcasting incorrect information on social networks.

The Decision also clearly states: When officers, civil servants, and public employees discover information reflected on social networks that is incorrect or contains incorrect content about the performance of their duties and public services, they must report in writing (clearly stating the incorrect content of the reflection) to the head of the agency or locality where they are working for timely handling.

Speaking at a recent meeting of the Subcommittee on Cyber ​​Security and Safety, Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized the role and importance of cyber security and safety; preventing bad and toxic information; fake news and untrue news in the new period.

At the same time, it is recommended that sectors, localities and units mobilize resources, focus on building a people's security posture, create a combined strength to prevent and combat all types of crimes in cyberspace; Strengthen the review and timely and strict handling of violations of the law, high-tech crimes, especially acts of posting and sharing bad and toxic information against the Party and State in cyberspace...