(kontumtv.vn) – In the era of information explosion, many opportunists have been taking advantage of social networks to spread false information, make assumptions, and lack verification in order to achieve the ultimate goal of profiting and opposing the policies of the Party and State.

The trick of "evading and cheating"

Distortion is understood as misrepresenting the truth with bad intentions; stereotyping is making subjective and unfounded judgments about a subject or issue.

The Party and State have identified personnel work as the “key of the key”. This issue has always received deep attention and close monitoring from the people. This is justified because the importance of this work is related to the fate of the country. Due to the importance and special attention of the people on this issue, opportunists often distort and put forward false arguments in order to lead public opinion to sabotage; especially before, during and after important meetings of the Party, the National Assembly and the Government.

Opportunists exploit the features of social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram with fast interaction, sharing and easy access to users to post and share misleading information. To "increase likes" and "views", opportunists use sensational words, "vague and deceitful" or "insinuating" to demonstrate their understanding of "internal affairs", making it difficult for readers to distinguish between real and fake, right and wrong, and "hitting" the curious psychology. From there, they infer and stereotype the Party and State's personnel work as "formal without substance", "imposition from above" to incite skepticism, manipulate psychology and lead public opinion.

In fact, the work of selecting Party and State officials is carried out step by step, following a scientific, strict, careful and methodical process to select typical cores with sufficient qualities and capacity to be elected to key positions. In his speech at the first session of the Personnel Subcommittee of the 14th Party Congress, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized: This is an extremely important task. This is also an issue that receives deep and legitimate attention from the entire Party and the entire people. Almost everywhere, everywhere, we see cadres, party members and people showing interest and somewhat wondering, worrying, asking the question: How does our Party plan to select and arrange the team of leaders (Central Executive Committee, Politburo , Secretariat, especially key officials) to be capable of shouldering the task? General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong warned: Bad, opportunistic, hostile elements are also taking this opportunity to find every way to distort, spread information, influence, and divide us internally in order to sabotage our personnel work in particular and our Party building work in general. This is very malicious and dangerous.

Defying the law to "attract views"

Recently, the "army" of Youtubers, Tiktokers, Facebookers... following Mr. Le Anh Tu (also known as Thich Minh Tue, born in 1981 in Ky Van commune, Ky Anh district, Ha Tinh province; registered permanent residence at Village 6, Ia To commune, Ia Grai district, Gia Lai province) walked day and night to create content to "attract views" and "attract likes", making him unwillingly become a phenomenon on social networks. From going on alms rounds alone, Mr. Thich Minh Tue had hundreds of people following him until the day (June 3) he voluntarily stopped walking for alms.

Social media opportunists see this as a good opportunity to distort, stereotype and attack individuals, organizations, and even Vietnam's religious policies. Some people have attacked the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to discredit this organization and divide religion. Then they distort the religious policies of the Party and State by cutting and pasting images and words of some individuals and then inferring and stereotyping "the government obstructing" Mr. Thich Minh Tue from walking for alms.

In fact, local authorities have always created favorable conditions and guided and diverted traffic so that the activities of Mr. Thich Minh Tue and the religious group could take place normally and safely. This proves that citizens have the right to freedom of belief and religion, to follow or not to follow any religion. All religions are equal before the law, as Article 24 of the 2013 Constitution of Vietnam stipulates: “Everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion, to follow or not to follow any religion. All religions are equal before the law. The State respects and protects the right to freedom of belief and religion. No one is allowed to violate freedom of belief and religion or take advantage of belief and religion to violate the law.”

After the day Thich Minh Tue voluntarily stopped walking for alms, opportunists spread the argument that he was "missing", "demanding clarification of his whereabouts". In fact, voluntarily stopping walking for alms was Thich Minh Tue's right. The State respects and guarantees human rights. It is the Youtubers, Tiktokers, Facebookers... who livestream Thich Minh Tue walking for alms, creating content regardless of "attracting views", "attracting likes" that violate privacy, affect traffic safety and security.

On June 3, the Department of Information and Communications of Thua Thien - Hue province worked with Mr. Nguyen Van Ty (born in 1990, residing in Binh Duong province, manager of the Youtube channel "15s Binh Duong") for providing false information about the incident of Mr. Thich Minh Tue in Huong Tho commune, Hue city. This individual posted videos with titles and cover photos showing "sensational" and "view-baiting" content with false information about the local security and order situation and causing confusion among the people.

After the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van Ty realized that posting the above content had created curiosity, causing people to gather in large numbers, obstructing traffic and negatively affecting security and order. This individual wrote a report and pledged not to repeat similar actions; at the same time, he accepted all forms of handling according to the provisions of the law.

The role of the press

First of all, it must be affirmed that information on social networks is not journalism. It is undeniable that information is quickly available from social networks, but information alone is not journalism. Because journalism, in addition to news, also requires discipline, analysis, explanation and most importantly, reliability. In the 10 articles on journalistic ethics issued by the Vietnam Journalists Association in 2016, Article 3 clearly states: “Practice honestly, objectively, impartially, without profit, protect justice and reason; do not distort, falsify, conceal the truth, cause division, incite society, destroy the great national unity and solidarity and friendship between nations and peoples”; Article 5 implies a reminder to journalists: “Standards and responsibilities when participating in social networks and other media”.

Recently, a lot of false information has been spread on social networks, especially information that appeals to curiosity such as cases, personal stories, etc. And there is also a lot of information with nonsense content that is "composed" by the social network account owners themselves to "attract views" and "increase likes". In particular, many of these information's ultimate purpose is to profit or oppose the policies of the Party and the State.

In addition to the authorities handling those who spread false information according to the law, press agencies are also stepping up the fight against this problem. Many news agencies and newspapers have increased the time and written sharp, highly convincing articles to identify opportunists who take advantage of social networks to lead public opinion and refute wrong views. Typically, recently, Vietnam News Agency, People's Army Newspaper, People's Police Newspaper... have published many articles refuting wrong arguments.

Each person using social networks responsibly and humanely is accompanying the management agency and the press agency in the fight against opportunists.

Principle (Vietnam News Agency)