Social media culture: Everyone needs to discern information in sharing on internet
WVR - Each individual should take charge of protecting their data, learn how to discern information which can be shared on social media, and understand how to grant or retract data permissions when necessary, according to experts.
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| Everyone needs to discern information in sharing on internet: Le Quoc Vinh, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Le Invest Corporation. (Photo: Courtesy) |
The consequence of youth dependency on the internet
According to We Are Social, the number of social media users in Vietnam has reached 76 million, accounting for over 70% of the population. Vietnam ranks 18th globally in terms of internet users among its population and is among the top 10 countries with the highest number of Facebook and YouTube users, with a significant portion being young adults and teenagers. Studies even suggest that a considerable amount of today's youth is increasingly dependent on the internet and social media.
Statistics from the Ministry of Information and Communications show that as of June 2023, internet usage in Vietnam reached 78.59%, surpassing the 2023 target of 76%. The number of social media users in Vietnam in 2022 was close to 76 million, an increase of nearly 10 million within a year (equivalent to 73.7% of the population).
With these figures, Vietnam ranks 12th globally in internet users and 6th out of 35 countries/territories in the Asia-Pacific region. Vietnamese users spend an average of nearly 7 hours daily engaged in internet-related activities, with a staggering 94% using the internet daily.
Undoubtedly, the internet and social media have brought significant benefits, facilitating connections, providing access to information, knowledge, and numerous other features in economic and social activities. Consequently, our lives have become more modern, progressive, and intelligent. However, the risks lie in cyberculture. There's a prevalence of users accessing unhealthy, inappropriate, and harmful content. Hence, managing information online, particularly user management, has become more crucial than ever.
In fact, excessive reliance on the internet leads to various issues and repercussions. Online scams, cyberbullying, information theft, and account breaches occur daily and hourly. With an increased risk of personal information exposure, as more activities shift to the digital realm, experts emphasize on the importance of managing and identifying digital accounts.
The Ministry of Information and Communications has issued the "Code of Conduct on Social Media," outlining specific details about behavioral norms and ethical standards online, and providing advices to organizations, individuals, and social media service providers.
According to Vu Ngoc Son, the Chief Technology Officer of Vietnam National Cyber Security, in the context of more activities transitioning to the digital environment, managing and identifying digital accounts will facilitate the unified and equitable application of legal regulations, irrespective of real life or online realms. Additionally, this practice makes social media users more responsible for their statements, posts, or comments.
Adjustment begins with users
According to many experts, the most crucial aspect for individuals is to protect their data. Simultaneously, it's vital to learn how to discern which information is suitable for sharing on social media and which isn't, understanding how to grant or retract data permissions as needed.
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| Social media culture: Everyone needs to discern information in sharing on internet. (Photo: Illustrative) |
Expressing his viewpoint on this matter, expert communications Le Quoc Vinh, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Le Invest Corporation, suggests that social media culture mirrors real-life culture. Whatever happens in real life often translates to social media, albeit with deeper impacts.
Vinh asserts that investors and owners of social media platforms bear the responsibility to monitor and detect deviations from standards and harmful products to eradicate them.
"The Government's policies and requirements for networks to frequently control and prevent harmful products are essential, but investing in people even more crucial. Users of social media need to make adjustments," noted Le Quoc Vinh.
Due to the greater societal impact of inappropriate behavior in the online space compared to real life, it's crucial to adjust the culture of online behavior sensibly. Consequently, this becomes a necessary and essential task.
"To clean up the online space, stronger measures and stricter enforcement from governing bodies are necessary. More importantly, it's crucial to raise awareness and enhance social responsibility among users of social media," emphasized Mr. Le Quoc Vinh.
According to the ASEAN regional forum on tackling disinformation on cyberspace, within the framework of the 16th Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI), from 2017, ASEAN has initiated various declarations and activities to enhance awareness regarding the harms of misinformation and fake news. These include programs, workshops to share policy management, handling fake news, and campaigns to improve digital literacy among citizens, fostering mutual understanding and learning among information management agencies.
ASEAN regional forum on tackling disinformation on cyberspace creates an open space for exchange between state agencies, the press, cross-border platforms, and related parties. This aims to affirm ASEAN's determination in minimizing the negative impact of fake news, striving toward a collective effort in building a healthy and reliable information space for the people.
