An important foundation of sustainable security
In a deeply connected digital world, instability not only comes from military conflicts, supply chain breakdowns or cyberattacks, but can also begin from the erosion of social trust. Fake news, information manipulation, extremist incitement, social polarization and deliberate influence campaigns can undermine national consensus, distort public perception, deepen divisions and make crises spread faster. Therefore, protecting peace in the new era also requires protecting the truth, strengthening social trust, improving strategic communication capacity, educating digital citizens, promoting the responsibility of technology platforms and international cooperation in combating misinformation. A society capable of distinguishing right from wrong, maintaining consensus in the face of turmoil and not being led by fear, hatred or manipulation will be an important foundation of sustainable security.
This is a very thought-provoking assessment in the context that fake news, information manipulation, extremist incitement and deliberate influence campaigns are becoming a type of "soft risk" but with great consequences.
If previously, information warfare was often seen as a security, foreign affairs or technical issue, now it has gone deep into the daily lives of each citizen. A false rumor about an epidemic can make people panic. A fabricated policy information can distort social perception. A clipped video, an image placed in the wrong context, an anonymous account that incites can create a wave of suspicion, hatred, and division. When trust is eroded, the truth becomes fragile; when the truth is overshadowed, social consensus will be challenged.
Responsibilities of the press and media
Building a "society capable of distinguishing right from wrong, maintaining consensus in the face of changes and not being led by fear, hatred or manipulation" as General Secretary and President said, needs responsibility from many parties, needs multinational cooperation. The press now is not simply reporting, the press must become a force to protect the truth, maintain a healthy information space and contribute to strengthening social trust. This is considered as the political, social and professional responsibility of the press in the digital age.
When a social problem arises but official information is slow, lacking or difficult to understand, that gap is very easily filled with speculation, misinterpretation and false information. Therefore, each press agency must consider accuracy, fairness, objectivity and humanity as vital principles.
The revised Press Law takes effect from July 1, 2026, creating more functions for the press and media to better play the role of building social trust. When discussing the revised Press Law at the 15th National Assembly, Delegate Pham Trong Nhan (Ho Chi Minh City) said that the draft revised Press Law is in the context of the global information space changing from the root before the impact of artificial intelligence. The speed of data spread far exceeds human verification capabilities, turning information into a new form of power, even a "new weapon", posing non-traditional security challenges to ideological security, cognitive security and social security.
Along with the upcoming Law on Press (amended) taking effect, on May 12, 2026, the Government issued Decree 148/2026/ND-CP, which will take effect from July 1, focusing on updating regulations on network security, providing information in cyberspace and promoting Vietnamese image. The Decree sets out requirements: "When deploying external information activities in cyberspace, social networks and online platforms, it is necessary to ensure compliance with information security principles; verify information sources; control content according to the provisions of law; ensure information security, network security and prevent the spread of fake news and false information about Vietnam".
The Decree also imposes a very large responsibility on the press and media when producing and distributing on the cyberspace platform: "Press programs and products on mass media, official content channels, official applications on the cyberspace of press agencies, ensuring compliance with the provisions of law on network security and network information security".
Protecting peace in the new era, as stated in the speech of the General Secretary and President at the opening session of the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue, Vietnamese press and media need to affirm their leading role. When the press plays a good role in verifying, explaining, and orienting with truth and humanity, society will have more resistance to fake news. The goal is to make people believe in legitimate sources of information, still calm enough to distinguish right from wrong, and maintain consensus in the face of fluctuations, which is the important foundation of sustainable security and development in the region and the country.
