Amending the Press Law: Researching and supplementing regulations to promote press activities in cyberspace

Commenting on the draft Law on Press (amended), some National Assembly deputies proposed to study and add regulations to promote press activities in cyberspace.

At the 10th session of the 15th National Assembly, contributing opinions to the draft Press Law (amended), delegate Trang A Duong - National Assembly Delegation of Tuyen Quang province agreed with the necessity of building the Press Law (amended) to perfect legal regulations to promptly institutionalize the Party's policies and guidelines on "building a professional, humane and modern press and media" in the current context.

Commenting on press agencies, in Clause 7, Article 16 of the draft Law stipulates that "local press and radio and television agencies are press agencies under the provincial and municipal Party Committees, with many types of press and press products", delegate Trang A Duong suggested considering specific regulations on this content. Because in the context that we are continuing to perfect and arrange the organizational apparatus, regulations on the position and organizational structure of press agencies should only be stipulated in principle in the draft Law.

This is also consistent with the policy stated in Resolution No. 66-NQ/TW of the Politburo on innovation in law-making and enforcement to meet the requirements of national development in the new era.

Delegate Trang A Duong - National Assembly Delegation of Tuyen Quang province spoke at the discussion

Regarding the permanent agencies, representative offices, and resident reporters of Vietnamese press agencies in Article 22, the delegate said that the provisions in Point c, Clause 1 of this Article should only stipulate general principles, not specify the specific number of "no more than three reporters". Because the assignment of the number of resident reporters depends on the needs and specific conditions of each press agency, it should be adjusted in sub-law documents, giving the authority to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to stipulate (the content has been stated in Point d, Clause 1, Article 22 of the draft Law).

The provisions on copyright in the field of journalism (Article 39) of the draft Law are inherited and kept intact from the corresponding provisions of the 2016 Press Law. However, through research, delegates believe that this provision only stops at citing the application of the provisions of the Intellectual Property Law and has not created new values ​​for the field of journalism.

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  Amending the Press Law is necessary to amend the law in the context of the press and media strongly transforming towards digitalization.

Regulations like the draft Law will lead to gaps in determining the responsibilities of press agencies and distinguishing copyright and related rights for press works using artificial intelligence (AI) such as using AI to write news, edit photos, create videos, etc.

Therefore, delegate Trang A Duong suggested that the drafting agency consider and revise the provisions in Article 39 in the direction of: researching and supplementing the responsibility of press agencies in ensuring copyright and related rights when using AI to create press works, while clearly defining the principle of transparency and determining legal responsibility.

Concerned about the regulations on press economy, delegate Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nga - National Assembly Delegation of Quang Tri province said that the draft Law has supplemented and completed a number of regulations to create conditions for press agencies to have more sources of income, remove difficulties in operations such as: receiving investment and financial support from the State; expanding the revenue sources of press agencies; regulations on association, cooperation... regulations on advertising.

However, according to delegates, the regulations are still general; there is a lack of specific regulations related to public investment and autonomy mechanism (Clause 3, Article 10). There should be specific guidance to avoid taking advantage of or commercializing the press, such as regulations on revenue from business activities, services, and connections of press agencies, units under press agencies, revenue from providing public career services assigned, ordered, and bid by competent authorities.

Delegate Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nga - National Assembly Delegation of Quang Tri province speaks

At the same time, it is necessary to study and supplement regulations related to linking with cross-border platforms that can generate large revenues, and at the same time, supplement regulations on the scope of linking to ensure copyright and independence of the press. On that basis, the Government will be assigned to specify this content in detail to ensure feasibility when implementing.

Regarding press activities in cyberspace, delegates said that Chapter III of the new draft Law only covers principles on compliance with legal regulations on press, cyber security, regulations on the principles and purposes of press agencies; on the responsibilities of press agencies when opening content channels in cyberspace such as being responsible for content and copyright when posting and broadcasting information on content channels in cyberspace, on archiving electronic press, and on notifying state management agencies (Articles 30 and 31).

Therefore, delegates proposed to study and supplement regulations to promote press activities in cyberspace such as: operating conditions, organization methods, state management measures for press activities in cyberspace; responsibilities of cross-border platforms in coordinating with press agencies to prevent and remove bad and toxic information; training and fostering press human resources to publish newspapers in cyberspace...

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/sua-luat-bao-chi-nghien-cuu-bo-sung-quy-dinh-thuc-day-hoat-dong-cua-bao-chi-tren-khong-giant-mang-20251024085451226.htm