A number of people, taking advantage of the ability of social networks to spread information and influence people, have posted false information about the pandemic, public health policies, vaccine distribution and effectiveness, and pandemic control measures, cooking up sensational stories to get more views and likes.

Many types of fake news threads are deliberately created and maintained over a long period of time, making it difficult for people to identify them as fake before sharing them on social networks. Fake news has hampered and devalued the good deeds that front line forces are performing day after day and night after night.

The Vietnam Anti-Fake News Center of the Ministry of Information and Communications says that in the first half of this year it received more than 1,100 reports of fake news, mostly on social networks like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. A lot of the news related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam.

On July 23 the Ministry of Information and Communications issued a public note on strengthening measures against fake pandemic news. Local authorities have cracked down on individuals caught posting or sharing false information, strengthened legal penalties, and tightened technological safeguards.

Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, a National Assembly deputy for Quang Ninh province, said, “The Government and the Ministry of Information and Communications have issued regulations on cyber behavior and punishments for spreading false information. It’s important for people to get their information via official communication channels to reduce the influence of fake news.”

People need to cooperate to create “herd immunity” against fake news. Everyone should be careful about accepting unverified information, to avoid becoming a victim or an abettor of fake news. They should take responsibility for fighting fake news in order to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.