Podcast first appeared in 2003 in the UK. The term is a portmanteau of the words “iPod” (a brand of Apple music player) and “broadcast”, defined as “a digital audio file that can be downloaded from the internet and played on a computer or portable device”.
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| Popular Podcast apps today. (Source: CoreIM) |
The benefits of Podcast applications for social life
In our country, there are currently many websites developing specialized pages about Podcasts. Domestic media experts assess that Vietnamese Podcasts will be a very useful method in oriented communication, which will target Vietnamese people living abroad, or foreigners interested in Vietnam. However, Vietnamese Podcast news channels are still a gap, besides Podcasts of VOV, VTV and some domestic radio stations and newspapers, there are almost no other choices than some channels of Vietnamese people abroad, which potentially contain a lot of unverified information or serve bad purposes against Vietnam.
Podcasts are usually created in the form of multiple episodes in a series with different topics; when you subscribe to a Podcast, it will be downloaded to your device by default so that your audience can listen. Users can download this application through Google's CH Play, share Podcast content through popular social networking channels such as Facebook, Twitter or iMessage. Apple devices such as iPhone, iPod or iPad have the application integrated by default. Usually, each Podcast is from a few minutes to a few hours long. The quality of the Podcast of each channel is also different. Some Podcasts are created with simple recording devices, some are recorded in a professional studio and edited, creating each piece of the highest quality audio.
In fact, anyone can create a Podcast in the form of a radio show, interviewing celebrities - experts, or reporting, news... Therefore, Podcasts have a wide variety of content, whatever listeners are interested in such as pure entertainment, inspiration, education, advice...
Podcasts are usually arranged like a radio program with individual recordings, then organized into series according to a connection on topic, content or about a period of time. Podcasts and radio programs have many similarities, but Podcasts have more outstanding advantages such as: Users can choose a favorite topic from a variety of topics; can download and listen at any time; help listeners learn more about a topic, a favorite field.
Podcast application demonstrates outstanding convenience, thus attracting the young generation with technological knowledge. In particular, in reality, radio stations are subject to the management of state agencies in terms of content and copyright, but Podcast is more personal and there is no separate legal document, officially managing this type. This is the basis for hostile and reactionary forces to exploit to create audio files to propagate distortions and sabotage our Party and State.
Exploiting Podcast application to spread propaganda against the regime
Recently, taking advantage of the convenience of Podcast, hostile and reactionary forces have expanded the method of creating channels on the Podcast application to propagate distortions and incite sabotage with a large amount of "audio files" with very diverse content and rich forms (news, reports, serving the needs of learning English...). A preliminary review of the most popular Podcast applications today (Google Podcast, Spotify, Apple Podcast...) shows that hostile and reactionary forces in exile have simultaneously exploited the Podcast application to create propaganda channels with a large amount of audio and video with anti-propaganda content.
To carry out their sabotage tricks, hostile forces have tried their best to distort and deny the revolutionary achievements of the Party; distort the values and historical significance of the National Revolution... They have thoroughly exploited the limitations and shortcomings in leadership and management to stereotype and steer public opinion in a negative direction, causing cadres, party members and people to lose their political and ideological orientation so that they can easily implement the strategy of "peaceful evolution", promoting "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party. Their insidious sabotage tricks have led to recent incidents of incitement, riots, and disruption of security and order, and protests that have caused localized political instability in some localities and strategic regions.
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| Images of some negative and anti-government channels on the Podcast app. |
Along with that, ideological sabotage centers, radio stations, and newspapers outside (BBC, RFA, VOA, RFI, New Horizon Media, Reply to Mountains and Rivers, United Nations - Vietnam Indigenous People's Radio...) have created many Vietnamese Podcast channels with the aim of strengthening propaganda campaigns, opposing the Party and State, implementing the strategy of "peaceful evolution", some of which include: "Vietnam's Hidden Corners Radio Free Asia" of RFA, "Law Science Radio" of Law Science Magazine, "International News - VOA" of VOA, "Current Events, Live Information - Radio France International - RFI", "Vietnam Magazine" of RFI, "Interview - Reply to Mountains and Rivers Radio", "New Horizon Media"... At the same time, they have increasingly combined with channels that are prejudiced and opposed to the Communist regime to open many columns, typically: The channel "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" has opened and used Podcasts with many columns such as "Dissolving Culture" "Partyization", "Nine Commentaries: 09 Commentaries on the Communist Party", "The Devil Is Dominating Our World", "The Ultimate Goal of Communism"...
It can be seen that almost all ideological sabotage centers, radio stations, and newspapers outside have deployed Podcasts, considering Podcasts as one of the main propaganda channels; after developing diverse media, with Podcasts, ideological sabotage centers have shifted to impact in depth, aiming at a more specific, dynamic, and technology-savvy audience.
The number of complex religious subjects using Podcasts to propagate and attract people to participate in complex religious sects, strange religions, and illegal religions that are not recognized by law is increasing. The propagation of religion, preaching, and giving sermons on the Podcast environment is currently quite large. Orthodox religions and illegal religions focus on communicating and attracting followers, confusing listeners, making them unable to distinguish between truth and falsehood, right and wrong, posing many potential risks to religious security and national security.
In particular, recently, there have been more and more channels and articles using Podcasts to spread propaganda against such as: "Vietnam Redemptorist Order", "Suggestions about God's call - Pastor Pham Tuan Nhuong", "How to hear God's call", "God's promise to humanity", "Vietnam Buddhist Radio", "Vietnam Saints", "Vietnam Evangelical Church"...
In addition, on Podcast listening applications, many channels and accounts have been created impersonating the Communist Party of Vietnam or using names that insult, defame, and discredit the Party and State.
| Almost all ideological sabotage centers, radio stations, and newspapers outside have deployed Podcasts, considering Podcasts as one of the main propaganda channels. |
Some issues raised
With the development and popularity of social networks, the Podcast application has had and is having the potential to develop strongly in Vietnam, leading to the propaganda and distortion activities against the Party and the State on cyberspace by hostile forces increasing in both scale and quantity, with more sophisticated and cunning tricks, especially in the context of the world and regional situation still continuing to develop complex tensions.
To proactively combat and prevent the use of the Podcast application to spread propaganda and incite sabotage, the police force needs to focus on effectively implementing the following key contents:
Firstly, raise awareness among cadres, party members and people about methods and tricks of propaganda against the Party and the State through the Podcast application. Every organization, individual, cadre and party member when participating in and using the Internet and social networks must always be proactively vigilant and enhance resistance to distorted and destructive arguments. Only then will the fight against and eradication of fake news, bad news and poison quickly bring practical results, contributing to building a healthy Internet and social network environment, spreading positive values, and firmly protecting the Party's ideological foundation.
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| The police force needs to proactively grasp the situation and promptly detect sabotage activities of hostile and reactionary forces that take advantage of the Podcast application to post bad and toxic content. (Source: CAND) |
Second , proactively grasp the situation and promptly detect early sabotage activities of hostile and reactionary forces that take advantage of the Podcast application to post bad and harmful content. Synchronously use technical, technological and legal measures to promptly, resolutely and effectively handle organizations and individuals providing information and communication services, taking advantage of the Podcast application to post, disseminate and propagate articles, programs and columns with sabotage content.
Third , focus on monitoring, evaluating, and researching to clarify new methods and tricks of hostile and reactionary propaganda activities to promptly advise and propose working solutions appropriate to the current situation. Strengthen information security management, network security, and management of cadres when using the Internet and social networks; strictly implement legal provisions on raising vigilance against plots and "peaceful evolution" activities of hostile forces in cyberspace. Focus on organizing a number of "drills" to fight against erroneous and hostile views on the Internet and social networks, as a basis for forces to perfect and develop their fighting skills.
Fourth , build a core force, specializing in cyber security and preventing and combating high-tech crimes to combat and prevent activities that take advantage of social networks in general and the Podcast application in particular to propagate against the Party and the State. Proactively detect, develop plans and key content of the fight, closely following the direction of the Politburo and the Secretariat; promptly forecast the situation, fully promote the role of leading experts, scientists, leading cadres, journalists and a large number of enthusiastic and capable collaborators to join the fight and prevent activities that take advantage of the Podcast application to propagate distortions and incite against the Party and the State, not to be passive or surprised.
Fifth , continue to advise on building good policies to attract, select and train talented, high-quality human resources to serve the work of information management, network security, and prevention and combat of high-tech crimes, especially those with qualifications and experience in ensuring information safety and security, giving priority to those who are good at foreign languages to ensure resistance against hostile forces using Podcast applications to propagate and sabotage the revolution in foreign languages.
* Tho Xuan District Police, Thanh Hoa.
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