ASEAN connects press and media units to respond to and handle fake news

On the morning of September 19, the ASEAN regional forum on responding to and handling fake news in cyberspace took place in Da Nang City. The purpose of the forum is to create an open space for exchange between state management agencies, the press, cross-border platforms and relevant parties to minimize the harmful effects of fake news.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam delivered the opening speech at the forum on responding to fake news in Da Nang. Photo: Thuy Trang

Speaking at the forum, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Lam - Deputy Minister of Information and Communications said that from 2017 to present, regarding the issue of false news and fake news, ASEAN has issued many statements and activities to raise awareness of the harmful effects such as programs and seminars to share policies on managing and handling fake news; campaigns to improve digital literacy for people to increase understanding and mutual learning among electronic information management agencies.

Notably, at the 14th AMRI Ministerial Meeting, the Ministers adopted the Framework and Joint Statement on Reducing the Harmful Effects of Fake News, providing a common reference framework for ASEAN member countries to enhance cooperation, share information and propose feasible solutions to address the problem of fake news proliferation and its negative impacts, for the benefit of ASEAN people.

Forum on responding to fake news in Da Nang on the morning of September 19. Photo: Thuy Trang

In 2022, the 19th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Information (SOMRI) officially approved Vietnam's initiative to establish the ASEAN Task Force on Fake News.

However, Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Lam said: “Activities in this phase have only stopped at sharing policies and experiences among state management agencies and have not been expanded to press agencies - units participating in the role of enhancing official information, detecting, publishing and correcting fake news... or research agencies, media units participating in the role of independent research and verification organizations, or cross-border social network service providers.

Therefore, the organization of the ASEAN Regional Forum on Responding to and Handling Fake News in Cyberspace aims to create an open space for exchange between state management agencies, the press, cross-border platforms and relevant parties to affirm the determination of ASEAN countries to minimize the harmful effects of fake news, towards ASEAN's common efforts to create a healthy and trustworthy information space for the people.

The forum included representatives of electronic information management agencies of 8 ASEAN countries; representatives of press agencies of ASEAN countries; representatives of some cross-border platforms such as Google, Tiktok and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat.

The forum has two main contents: ASEAN countries' efforts to join hands to fight and handle fake news and misinformation; Recommendations for future measures; Experience from countries in the region and press agencies; Policies to promote digital literacy and media policies from some ASEAN countries as well as policies of platforms in handling fake news and misinformation and safety instructions when participating online.

In addition, delegates will discuss recommendations and measures for cooperation in responding to and handling fake news and misinformation in cyberspace: promoting cooperation within the ASEAN region, between governments and localities of ASEAN member countries and social networking platforms.

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