None of us can remain indifferent to the tragic accident in Quang Ninh - where a tourist boat capsized, causing many casualties, both victims and their relatives are immersed in unspeakable pain.

However, what makes people's hearts ache even more is not only the crying at the port but also the cold, soulless laughter echoing from the virtual world - where fake videos and sophisticatedly edited images are being shared widely, not to report news or share but to... count "likes", "views" and "follows" on the real pain of our compatriots.

It must be called by its name: it is intentional indifference, an immoral interactive game, a second and deeper wound that is cutting into the social conscience.

As the ship tilted in the midst of the raging waves, some people rushed to save the victims, some shed tears with the victims' families, while others... turned on editing software, created fake videos of the ship capsizing, added screams, and even added creepy background music. After just a few hours, many social media platforms were flooded with "fake crime scene" clips, some claiming to be witnesses, some creating "in-depth analysis" that were actually baseless exaggerations.

People are no longer afraid of making mistakes, but only afraid of not being able to go viral.

Maybe it’s a kid learning how to make money online. Maybe it’s an adult who’s helpless in real life and has built his own virtual world . But whatever the reason, using other people’s pain as a springboard for personal goals is unacceptable in any decent cultural norm.

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Scene of the capsized ship in Quang Ninh. Photo: Pham Cong.

Culture is not just about big things, not just about museums or fancy stages. Culture is about attitudes, about how we react to the suffering of others, about the boundaries between people in a civilized society.

The proliferation of fake videos and distorted information does more than just hurt victims and their families. It seriously undermines truth, public trust in mainstream journalism, and worse, it erodes fundamental moral values: empathy and compassion.

When we let “toxic content” spread freely, without control or response, we are letting a generation grow up with the idea that: “as long as there is interaction, right or wrong, true or false is not important”.

It must be clear: this is no longer a personal story. This is the challenge of the digital age - where each citizen is not only a recipient of information but also a creator of it. And because of that, the responsibility belongs to all of us - those who work in culture, journalism, policy, education and parents.

Stronger measures are needed to deal with fake news and fake videos - not only from digital platforms but also from the law itself. The Law on Cyber Security, the Law on Press, and decrees on handling fake news need to be strictly enforced, and new regulations may even be added to match the increasingly dangerous nature of fake news associated with disasters.

At the same time, we need to strengthen media education in schools and families - teaching children how to recognize fake videos, understand responsibility when sharing content, and especially foster compassion as part of being human.

When a ship capsizes, the water rises. But when a man's heart is broken, the loss is much greater.

Every "like" on a fake video is an invisible knife cutting into the pain of the real victims. Every time false information is shared, it pushes society closer to confusion, suspicion and disconnection.

We cannot use the name of “freedom of information” to justify unethical behavior. Nor can we use the excuse of “it’s just social media” to wash our hands of civic responsibility in the digital age.

The Quang Ninh train accident was a tragedy. But how the community responds to that tragedy will define who we are.

Is it a community that knows how to share, listen, and love? Or is it a crowd that rushes into trouble to compete for a few minutes of fame?

Let the voice of culture, of kindness, of humanity overwhelm the chaotic sounds out there. Let each of our clicks be a choice - a choice to stand on the side of truth, on the side of humanity, on the side of a society with dignity.

Because after all, culture is not something far away - it is how we respond to the pain of our fellow human beings.

Thai Thuy Linh apologizes for mistakenly posting photos of victims of the train accident in Quang Ninh. Thai Thuy Linh apologizes for posting photos of a family's children and calling them victims of the train accident in Quang Ninh.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dem-like-tren-noi-dau-mot-vet-thuong-khac-tu-vu-lat-tau-o-quang-ninh-2424771.html