By Ravichandran D.J Paul
(This is the first part of a news analysis for the ASEAN News Exchange programme)
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (NNN-Bernama) — Fake news have existed since time immemorial, but with the advent of internet and social media, it now has taken a new dimension as fake news can easily transcend borders and impact negatively on whole nations and societies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, with lockdowns in force, fake news itself appeared as a “pandemic” that aggravated the misery and fear that gripped the public. The rise of the so-called citizen journalism also contributed to the rise in fake news, as there is no verification of the news disseminated.
Even before the pandemic, in 2017, the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) who met in Manila, the Philippines, expressed concerns that the proliferation of fake news could cause alarm, panic, hate, distress and conflict that potentially can undermine the society and nation.
Hence, the nascent cooperation on fighting fake news across the region began with the ASEAN Member States (AMS) enacting or strengthening their respective legislations that will serve as the first step in stopping fake news before it transcends across borders.
Also, at the same meeting, in countering fake news, ASEAN member states voiced their commitment in implementing programmes to enhance media literacy among the youths to enable them to better discern the information they received.
On Oct 11, 2022, in conjunction with Vietnam’s International Digital Week 2022 hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications, the newly-created ASEAN task force on fake news met in Hanoi where AMS presented their respective policies and shared experiences in dealing with fake news.
During the meeting AMS strengthened their resolve in preventing the spread of online falsehood and strengthen national capacity to detect and respond to fake news amongst member states.
The task force was envisaged by Vietnam following the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting Responsible for Information (SOMRI) in 2019 and the AMRI in 2021. Kudos for Vietnam for leading the way for the region in tackling the fake news menace.
The task force’s role is to mitigate the effects of fake news in the ASEAN region and cooperate in responding to online fake news in a timely manner.
Hence, the task force will develop and propose measures for the grouping in establishing a reliable Internet environment for ASEAN citizens, and provide capacity building for member-states in dealing with fake news, and subsequently disinformation.
The task force will develop guidelines for AMS in verifying, reporting, and tackling fake news and related online falsehoods, along with a cross border platform to empower cross-border fact checking activities through the exchange of information, cross-promoting trusted platforms to each member state.
The above tells ASEAN is serious in tackling fake news collectively. However, there is no common law shared by AMS in tackling the problem, hence legal action on perpetrators still hinges on the laws enacted by the respective countries.
ASEAN in future could take a leaf from the European Commission’s 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation, a guidance that provides self-regulatory standards for signatory member states to fight disinformation
— NNN-BERNAMA
