On 15/2, the Internal Political Security Division of Da Nang City Police announced a fine of 7,5 million dong against a man residing in Hoa Cuong ward, Da Nang. The penalty was for providing and sharing false information on social media.

The original horse mascot image (left), with the AI-edited image shared by the man on his social media page (right). Photo: Thanh Huynh

Previously, on 3/2, during an online review, authorities discovered the man's post on his Facebook account, which has approximately 14,000 followers. The post included the caption: "Doesn't look like any zodiac animal!" and featured an image of the Tet Vietnam Festival gate at the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House.

According to officials, artificial intelligence technology had been used to edit the image, depicting the horse mascot wearing a dress and women's shoes. This alteration distorted the appearance of the public artwork. The shared content was deemed offensive, generating negative public opinion on social media, and impacting the cultural and artistic image of public spaces.

After working with the Internal Political Security Division and Hoa Cuong Ward Police, the man admitted to the violation. He stated that he had failed to verify the information, posted based on emotion, and did not anticipate the impact on social media. He committed to not reoffend.

Da Nang City Police advises citizens to verify information before posting or sharing on social media. Using images manipulated or edited with artificial intelligence technology to create misleading content can cause misunderstanding, negatively impact public opinion, and will result in legal action.

Ngoc Truong