Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam emphasized: ASEAN countries need to make efforts to find solutions to combat fake news in order to create a trustworthy and responsible cyberspace for people.
On the morning of September 19, in Da Nang City, the ASEAN Forum on responding to and handling false information in cyberspace took place.
Fake news is a global problem
Speaking at the forum, Ms. Tunku Ahmad - representative of the Ministry of Information and Communications of Malaysia shared that the widespread spread of fake news on the Internet and social networks is one of the most urgent issues facing governments around the world today. In Malaysia, fake news and inaccurate information have affected the economy and politics.
“There are also fake news that can incite and create hatred among diverse communities in Malaysia, which can affect national unity and stability…”, Ms Ahmad informed.
Overview of the ASEAN Forum on responding to and handling fake news in cyberspace.
Ms. Ahmad added that recently, the Malaysian Government has issued decrees to handle and combat fake information. The Sebenarnya.my portal has been built to help people access and check information. Along with that, a rapid response information group has been established to combat unverified news...
A representative of the Indonesian Ministry of Information and Communications said that fake news has a huge impact, damaging or undermining the country's stability and security, as well as causing social unrest. The false information is intentionally designed and disseminated with a specific purpose.
In addition, false information, impersonation, distorted and fabricated content also cause distrust and anxiety among the public.
“There are many negative issues with fake information, such as the impact on safety and security... The government is facing challenges in the digital age...”, a representative of the Indonesian Ministry of Information and Communications added.
ASEAN members must do more to fight fake news
A representative of the Indonesian Ministry of Information and Communications said that in order to combat fake news and misinformation in the media, governments of ASEAN member countries need to have a multifaceted approach and action in the coming time.
He made the following recommendations: Countries need to strengthen education and training for teachers and students in high schools and universities on skills to recognize and combat fake news; combat fake news and misinformation at the source; and promote cooperation.
In addition, the private sector can help by supporting, developing or proposing useful technology to verify fake news. Facebook, Instagram, Google and other platforms can apply technology to filter news for the public. Governments can strengthen measures to detect fake news…
Mr. Izzad Zanman, Senior Information and Culture Officer of the ASEAN Secretariat, shared that fake news websites target political and economic goals.
According to this person, to combat fake news, ASEAN has issued a joint statement on the harmful effects of false information online; established an ASEAN response team on fake news - this is also an idea put forward by Vietnam...
At the same time, ASEAN countries have coordinated with Google, TikTok and Japan to organize conferences, forums and training courses on combating fake news. Google and TikTok have also applied technology to detect fake news and solve this problem.
“Going forward, ASEAN member states must do more to combat this common challenge. Government information management guidelines to combat fake news and misinformation in the media are essential,” said Izzad Zanman.
Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam said that since 2017, ASEAN has carried out many activities to raise awareness about dealing with the harmful effects of fake news, including programs and workshops to share management policies, campaigns to improve digital literacy among people, as well as promote the sharing of experiences among electronic information management agencies. ASEAN's frameworks and mechanisms have created a foundation for member countries to enhance cooperation, share information and propose feasible solutions to solve problems in the region.
“We have done a lot of work on handling fake news. However, the activities mainly focus on sharing policies and experiences among management agencies. It is time for us to step up cooperation between media management agencies, who play an important role in enhancing information; between media agencies involved in disseminating authentic and accurate information, detecting, publishing and correcting fake news; and between research agencies such as independent research organizations, verification organizations and social media providers to deal with misinformation in the region,” the Deputy Minister emphasized.
According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Lam, the forum aims to create an open exchange platform, affirming the determination of ASEAN countries in minimizing the harm caused by misinformation and fake news. At the same time, it contributes to ASEAN's common efforts in creating a "trustworthy and responsible cyberspace" for the people.
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