Prevent false and fake information about goods and services on social networks

Pointing out that many acts have been using social media to promote incorrect, misleading, and even counterfeit product brands, deceiving consumers, National Assembly deputies said that it is necessary to add responsibility to relevant agencies in preventing and eliminating this misleading information to protect consumers.

On the morning of May 26, continuing the 5th Session, the National Assembly held a plenary session in the hall to discuss a number of contents with different opinions of the draft Law on Consumer Rights Protection (amended).

Discussing at the meeting, delegate To Van Tam ( Kon Tum ) stated that one of the important issues in protecting consumer rights is that consumers have full and accurate information about the quality of products, services and goods. In the current conditions, social media plays a huge and important role in promoting product information to consumers.

Delegate To Van Tam - National Assembly Delegation of Kon Tum province. (Photo: DUY LINH)

However, there are some who have been using this medium to promote incorrectly, incompletely or misleadingly, spreading fake news about the quality of products, goods and services. They even set up fake websites to impersonate product brands, deceiving consumers to consume goods and services...

“Amidst the siege of fake information, consumers find it difficult to differentiate. Many people “lose money and suffer” because of false information,” said delegate To Van Tam.

According to the delegate, although the draft Law stipulates the rights and obligations of consumers, including the need to check and choose to consume products, goods and services with clear origins and sustainable consumption, when faced with the current information situation, consumers still have the right to request and question the responsibilities of management agencies.

Therefore, delegates proposed to supplement the responsibilities of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant ministries and branches, especially the Ministry of Information and Communications, in preventing and eliminating false information and impersonation on social media using professional technical measures.

Delegate Huynh Thi Phuc - National Assembly Delegation of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. (Photo: DUY LINH)

Sharing the same opinion, delegate Huynh Thi Phuc (Ba Ria-Vung Tau) said that in the era of 4.0 technology of the flat world, trading goods and services via digital platforms on cyberspace is inevitable.

With the current situation, the state of advertising as well as issues related to advertising on digital platforms, the draft Law on Consumer Rights Protection (amended) has also supplemented relevant regulations in a timely and appropriate manner.

However, the delegate said that there are still some contents on cyberspace that need to be considered more carefully as stipulated in Article 39 of the draft Law. Therefore, the delegate suggested that the Drafting Committee consider and supplement regulations on the responsibility of media agencies in advertising, promoting, and introducing products, goods, and services to ensure that there are no deviations in quality, price, uses, or exaggeration of product functions, leading to acts of deception, affecting consumers and service users, while ensuring that there is no violation of Vietnamese customs and traditions.

Clearly define the responsibilities of organizations and individuals trading in goods.

National Assembly deputies at the morning session on May 26. (Photo: DUY LINH)

Contributing additional ideas to perfect the draft Law at the discussion session, delegate Tran Thi Thu Phuoc (Kon Tum) said that in order to protect consumers from fraudulent acts, the draft Law clearly stipulates the responsibilities of organizations and individuals trading in goods and services to provide transparent, accurate and complete information about goods and services to consumers, and compensation and handling measures for consumers when there are incidents or defective products and goods.

However, in reality, the implementation of handling consumer deception is still inadequate. Delegates believe that the draft Law needs to specify criteria for assessing whether the behavior of business organizations and individuals is deceiving consumers or not, based on the perception and identification abilities of ordinary consumers.

Specifically, it is necessary to clearly define the method of determination based on the time and method of providing information to consumers, the level of deviation or omission of information compared to reality, and the level of influence of incorrect or incomplete information leading to consumer decisions.

On the consumer side, delegate Cam Thi Man (Thanh Hoa) said that Clause 1, Article 5 of the draft Law stipulates checking products, goods and services before receiving them according to the provisions of law; choosing to consume products, goods and services with clear origin.

National Assembly deputies attend the morning session on May 26. (Photo: DUY LINH)

Regarding this issue, the explanatory and acceptance report of the National Assembly Standing Committee explained and stated that checking products, goods and services before receiving them is not mandatory in all cases. However, according to the delegate, this content needs to be analyzed and clarified to ensure feasibility when the Law is issued promptly, protecting the rights of consumers in practice.

Delegate Cam Thi Man said that goods and products can be checked, but for services, the quality can only be known when used, so it is not possible to stipulate that services in general must be checked before receiving.

For goods and products, the origin can be selected based on labels and certificates, but for services, it is impossible not to determine the origin criteria. Checking and selecting before receiving goods, products and services as stipulated in the draft is the responsibility of consumers, the delegate analyzed.

“In reality, consumers always naturally check, choose and decide to buy products, goods and decide to use services to meet their needs and desires. Meanwhile, we all know that the regulations built in this draft Law are aimed at protecting the rights of consumers against defective products, goods and services that do not guarantee quality. Therefore, the first responsibility belongs to business organizations and individuals when providing products, goods and services to society to ensure quality according to certain standards, criteria and conditions”, delegate Cam Thi Man suggested.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment Le Quang Huy spoke to clarify opinions expressed at the discussion session. (Photo: DUY LINH)

Speaking to clarify the opinions raised by National Assembly deputies, Chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment Le Quang Huy said that at the discussion session, there were 22 opinions contributed by deputies that were enthusiastic, accurate, specific, and covered the major contents of the draft Law, from general regulations to the responsibilities of business individuals for specific transactions, the responsibilities of the Fatherland Front at all levels and relevant agencies participating in consumer protection.

According to Chairman Le Quang Huy, the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment will coordinate with the drafting agency to fully absorb and explain before submitting this Law project to the National Assembly for approval at the 5th Session.

Regarding the opinions of delegates contributing to Article 70 related to the settlement of disputes in civil cases on consumer rights protection, Chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment Le Quang Huy said that through the opinions of National Assembly delegates, the Committee will work with the drafting agency to coordinate with relevant agencies to study, absorb and revise to ensure feasibility, consistency and unity, including the Civil Procedure Code.

Explaining the delegates' opinions on the reference to the relevant legal system, the Chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment affirmed that the law on consumer rights protection is not stipulated in the Law on Consumer Rights Protection, but is a current legal system. The drafting agency and the reviewing agency will accept the delegates' opinions on this issue.

Chairman Le Quang Huy also explained and clarified the issue raised by the delegates regarding ensuring the balance between the rights of consumers and the rights and obligations of business organizations and individuals. Affirming that this is a very valid issue, the Chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment also said that during the examination process, he closely followed this principle and continued to review the legal system in the direction of ensuring the balance between the rights and obligations of business organizations and individuals and consumers.

Nhandan.vn

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