On 2/12, the Internal Political Security Division of Nghe An Provincial Police announced they had penalized a man residing in Truong Vinh ward. The man was sanctioned for providing and sharing false, distorted, and slanderous information that damaged the reputation of agencies, organizations, and individuals, in violation of Decree 15/2020/ND-CP.
Earlier, on 21/11, the man uploaded a video to his personal Facebook account. The video featured a woman engaged in charity work, stating that "many people died in Hoa Thinh commune, Dak Lak province, because their homes were deeply submerged." This post was widely shared by numerous accounts and large fanpages, leading to public alarm.
Officials from the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee and Hoa Thinh commune refuted these claims.
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The man (right) cooperates with police. Photo: Police provided |
During questioning by police, the man admitted he failed to verify the information before posting it. Recognizing his mistake, the account owner subsequently removed the original post and revised his content.
During the mid-November floods, Hoa Thinh commune experienced the most severe damage in Dak Lak province. The disaster resulted in 25 fatalities, representing nearly 40% of the province's total deaths. Additionally, the floods swept away 67 homes, destroyed numerous gardens, and significant numbers of livestock and poultry perished.
The Ministry of Public Security issued a warning that as the central region faces extreme flooding, a proliferation of AI-generated videos and images are circulating on social media. These visuals exaggerate damage and misrepresent relief operations. Moreover, some individuals are fabricating claims of thousands of deaths and tens of thousands unrescued, solely to attract views and solicit donations. Such misinformation spreads rapidly, creating public panic and complicating disaster response efforts. The police are implementing professional and technical measures to identify and address individuals disseminating these false reports, including pursuing criminal charges.
Duc Hung
