How Vietnam Aims to Proactively Block AI-Generated Fake News
Hanoi, vrijdag, 21 november 2025.
Vietnam is taking a unique step in the fight against digital disinformation by introducing a new draft law that mandates platforms to implement proactive filters for AI-generated videos, images, and news content. The law, submitted on 18 November 2025, aims to detect misleading content at the moment of creation rather than removing it only after it has been disseminated. The most striking aspect? Responsibility lies with the platforms themselves—there is no need for police or judicial intervention, as technology must act before harm occurs. This represents one of the most ambitious approaches worldwide and offers a promising model for how democracies can respond to the challenges posed by AI-generated content. The legislation is still under discussion, but implementation is scheduled for January 2026.
A New Approach: From Reactive to Proactive Prevention
Vietnam is taking a significant step forward in combating digital disinformation by submitting a draft law requiring platforms to develop proactive filters for AI-generated videos, images, and news content. According to Lieutenant Colonel Trieu Manh Tung from the Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention Division of the Ministry of Public Security, platforms must ‘proactively build filters to detect, remove, block, or delete such content’ [1]. This shifts the model from a reactive approach—where damage is already done before intervention—to a proactive system in which technology itself takes responsibility for identifying harmful content before it spreads. The law, submitted on 18 November 2025, is a comprehensive component of the new 2025 Cybersecurity Law, resulting from the merger of the 2018 Cybersecurity Law and the 2015 Network and Information Security Law [1]. It aims to make the digital space safer by preventing the spread of misinformation generated through advanced AI technologies [1]. Responsibility now rests with platforms themselves, marking a significant departure from traditional models where the state or judiciary responds only after complaints or evidence of harm have been established [1]. This initiative reflects growing global concern over AI’s impact on media truth and the urgent need for responsible technology use in the digital realm [1].
The Technical Challenge: Using AI to Detect AI-Generated Fake News
Implementing the draft law requires digital platforms to develop technologies capable of detecting and filtering AI-generated content. This involves the use of multi-modal detection systems such as DeepTruth AI, a framework that analyses text, images, and audio to identify synthetic content with improved accuracy [2]. DeepTruth AI employs BERT for textual encoding, CNNs for visual feature extraction, and LSTMs for audio modelling, integrated through a transformer-based fusion mechanism [2]. A key feature is synchronisation analysis, which detects lip-sync inconsistencies typical of deepfakes [2]. These technologies are essential for effectively preventing AI-generated fake news, as the generative AI producing the content continues to become increasingly realistic. The 2025 law does not prescribe specific technical standards but imposes the obligation to develop ‘proactive detection and filtering solutions’ [1]. As a result, creating such systems is not only a technical challenge but also a legal requirement for platforms operating in Vietnam or serving Vietnamese users [1]. The law’s implementation is scheduled for 15 January 2026, following a preparatory phase that began on 18 November 2025, including a pilot project in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi [3].
Implications for Media Literacy, Democracy, and Public Trust
The introduction of this draft law carries profound implications for media literacy, democratic processes, and public trust in information systems. It is currently Friday, 21 November 2025, and the world stands at a new phase where the line between fact and fiction is becoming increasingly blurred. Vietnam aims to prevent AI-generated content from misleading the public, especially in political contexts such as elections [1]. Generative AI is already being used in state-led propaganda campaigns, such as those by China Global Television Network, which spreads credible but false news through social media platforms [GPT]. A recent 2025 Graphika report highlights a Russia-backed network that disseminates AI-generated content on a large scale [GPT]. In the US, a fake interview with Michael Schumacher was published in 2023, demonstrating how easily convincing fake news can be produced [GPT]. Vietnam’s law is designed to mitigate such risks, but public trust in media has already been eroded: a June 2024 Reuters Institute Digital News Report reveals that 52% of Americans and 47% of Europeans feel uneasy about news that is ‘mostly AI-generated with some human oversight’ [GPT]. Thus, the law seeks not only to intervene technologically but also to establish a social framework in which the public can trust the truthfulness of the information they receive [1].
Practical Tips for Readers to Recognise AI-Generated Fake News
Despite government and platform efforts, it remains crucial for individuals to remain critically engaged in evaluating the information they consume. Readers can start by verifying the source: where does the story originate, and is the website well-known and trustworthy? A common indicator of fake news is its appearance on sites with vague or suspicious backgrounds, or its spread via social media without verification. It is also helpful to pay attention to the format of the content: videos showing unnatural lip movements or audio with minimal sound or unusual audio effects may signal a deepfake [2]. For images, look for inconsistencies in shadows, light sources, or the number of fingers—details often inaccurately rendered by generative models. Another strategy is to use AI content detection tools such as GPTZero or Google’s SynthID, both developed in 2025 to identify AI-generated material [GPT]. However, these tools are prone to a high rate of false positives [GPT]. If a piece of content triggers an emotional reaction—such as shock or anger—it is wise to pause and check whether the story has appeared before or been confirmed by a trusted source. The combination of technical tools and critical thinking forms the best defence against AI-generated fake news [GPT].