Vietnamese authorities are set to conduct a thorough inspection of TikTok’s operations in the nation regarding concerns that the social media platform spreads content which has negative consequences on public life, as well as the economy and society.
Le Quang Tu Do, head of the Authority of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information, under the Ministry of Information and Communications, speaks about TikTok's violations in Vietnam at a press briefing on April 7.
TiKTok has not yet taken effective measures to control the spread of anti-government information and fake news, as well as harmful content for children, said Le Quang Tu Do, head of the Authority of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information, under the Ministry of Information and Communications, at a press briefing in Hanoi on April 7.
According to the official, TikTok has used an automatic distribution algorithm in order to create trends and distribute content for views, thereby adversely affecting the community and young people.
TikTok has launched an e-commerce service, although it has not adopted effective measures to prevent the trading and marketing of fake and imitation goods, aphrodisiacs, and supplementary of unknown origin, said Do.
Among other violations of national laws, he said content that violates intellectual property rights remains rampant, and the social medial platform has not done enough to prevent such practices.
Due to poor management he said that TikTok had let users arbitrarily use private and personal images to spread fake news, smears, and insults to others.
Arbitrarily filming and using images without consent violates Articles 32 and 38 of the Civil Code regarding the rights of individuals to images, the right to a private life, as well as the right to personal and family secrets, he explained.
The Ministry of Information and Communications has said that the violations are not only happening on TikTok, but are gradually being recorded in a number of other short-form video platforms such as Reels on Facebook or Shorts of YouTube. Such violations may lead to serious consequences such as creating a favourable environment for fake news to spread and causing economic damage, potentially leading social instability.
TikTok has yet to make any comment.
Nguyen Lam Thanh, representative of TikTok Vietnam, previously said that the platform would refresh its Community Standards on April 21 in an effort to ensure TikTok is a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all users, along with investing further in censorship technology.
A delegation of inter-sectoral agencies, including the Ministry of Information and Communication, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the General Department of Taxation, are scheduled to inspect TikTok’s operations in Vietnam in May.
TiKTok is looking forward to receiving the delegation as it will be a great opportunity for the management of the platform to listen to suggestions and operate better in the future, said the representative.
VOV
