People need to know how to protect themselves and filter information.

Former Minister of Information and Communications Le Doan Hop shares how to handle false information so that people know how to protect themselves and filter online information today.

Former Minister of Information and Communications Le Doan Hop. Photo: VGP/Le Son.

In recent days, on a number of social networking sites, some fake, fabricated, and distorted information has appeared about a number of high-ranking Party officials, causing information "noise" before the upcoming National Party Congress.

Regarding this issue, former Minister of Information and Communications Le Doan Hop talked about how to handle false information so that people know how to protect themselves and filter online information today.

Mr. Le Doan Hop analyzed: Firstly, we can easily see that when commenting on a person, as well as an official in a market mechanism, it is easy to have different opinions, because different feelings say different things, different interests say different things, different perceptions say different things. That is a common thing in life.

Second, it has become a cycle, every time the Congress approaches, our Party changes personnel, and each person has different wishes for personnel and will say different things. That is also a normal thing in life.

The most important thing is that the cadre management agencies and the cadres and social network managers themselves must closely follow the reality to have timely solutions. Because management now has to manage both real society and virtual society. Therefore, the State's management role in virtual society cannot be excluded.

How to manage? Mr. Le Doan Hop pointed out three types of information on the Internet: Correct information, incorrect information and information that is both correct and incorrect. So, with correct information, we need to be receptive and correct; with incorrect information, we must fight and refute it in a reasonable, emotional, and convincing way.

So how do we manage this situation, sir?

Mr. Le Doan Hop:In my opinion there are 3 ways to handle it.

First, create a mechanism for officials to protect themselves. In capitalist countries, people run for election so they protect themselves, because when voters ask them something, they will explain that issue.

We also need to take appropriate steps in the information technology age. First of all, each officer needs to publicize their mobile phone number and email address.

Let us use that tool to lead, manage and explain the issues that people care about. Whatever people say, whatever questions they ask, that official will answer. People give their opinions on this, reflect on that so that we can listen to the information and act. Of course, that process has “noise” information, but the majority are still more good people, more useful.

When I worked in Nghe An, I also made my mobile phone number public, so there were phone calls from people informing me that the provincial officials were gambling here and there. When the authorities arrived, it was true. This is the role of management and through management, we can clarify our officials better.

Second, the cadre management agency must do this. Because people talk about cadres like that, the agency must have specific conclusions and clear information about the cadres under its management. There must be clear conclusions, if the Party cadres manage, then post them on the Party website; if the Government cadres manage, then post them on the Government Electronic Information Portal; if the cadres of central ministries and branches are managed, then post them on the Electronic Information Portals of those ministries and branches; if the cadres of provinces and cities are managed, then post them on the local Electronic Information Portals, so that the people can know.

When we are open like that, there is less accumulation, distortion, and misrepresentation. Because in my opinion, the most fearful thing in doing personnel work is the lack of information and information "noise". Because without information, it is easy to speculate and criticize, causing information "noise". Therefore, we must take care of information work for cadres seriously, thoughtfully, and promptly.

Third, continue to improve the law to manage more closely so that good people can be trusted and bad people can be monitored. Good people have support, bad people dare not act recklessly.

At the same time, continue to improve the social network management mechanism; study and learn from advanced countries in the world to have better management solutions.

How can people analyze and filter out the current chaotic information on the internet, sir?

Mr. Le Doan Hop:In my opinion, this is a very important issue today. Specifically, we must educate, orient, and raise awareness for all citizens so that they know and protect themselves and filter information. Because what is right has its own logic, what is wrong will be easy to see immediately the lack of basis and fallacy of what is wrong. Therefore, every citizen who hears any information needs to know how to analyze, filter, and choose.

Like our story, nearly 30 years ago when I was the Deputy Secretary of the Vinh City Party Committee (Nghe An), preparing for the Party Congress, a comrade of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee, Head of the Propaganda Department of the City Party Committee was accused by public opinion of showing signs of pluralism. That very night, we had a meeting of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee, assigned the Organizing Committee to clearly comment on the cadres for the City Party Committee to approve, print in writing, the next morning distribute a copy to the delegates attending the Congress, in the afternoon, the Standing Committee elected that comrade still with very high confidence. Thus, we must clearly affirm information about the cadres under our management so that the cadres can feel more secure and the people can trust us more.

We must have a very careful social network monitoring system, this must be a social management function. On that management foundation, what is right we will accept and be open to learning. What is wrong, we must fight and refute with the principle that information will be returned wherever it is given. Speaking with emotion, reason, and persuasiveness, not criticism but constructive suggestions that are more humane and persuasive. By doing so, information will be more open, people will believe more and hostile forces will find it difficult to "use" to distort, impersonate, and slander because we respect the people's hearts and control the information.

In particular, the cadre management agency must proactively provide information and proactively develop plans. When it comes to a person, information must be provided immediately, based on the information provided by the cadre and the organization must monitor. With forces that distort, defame, and slander cadres without basis and with bad intentions, we must make clear conclusions to the people in a fair manner. Thereby, cadres can work with peace of mind, and people can trust the transparent and serious way of working of the Party and State.

Thank you very much!

According to chinhphu.vn