10 October 2024, Thursday – In a webinar held by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Mr Thanh Giang Nguyen discussed the influence of Russian state-controlled media and disinformation strategies on Vietnam’s media landscape.
MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY PROGRAMME WEBINAR
Mr Thanh Giang Nguyen, a former Visiting Senior Fellow at the Media, Technology and Society (MTS) Programme at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and a former news editor at BBC World Service Languages, presented a comprehensive analysis of the increasing influence of Russian state-controlled media in Vietnam. His presentation focused on Sputnik News, examining its operations and pivotal role in shaping public discourse through strategic disinformation tactics. The session was moderated by Dr Dien An Nguyen Luong, a Visiting Fellow from MTS.
Mr Nguyen opened his presentation by highlighting the rise of Sputnik News as a key player in Vietnam’s media landscape. He explained that a 2017 agreement between Vietnam and Russia paved the way for establishing a Vietnamese-language bureau for Sputnik News – a multimedia outlet created by the Russian government in 2015. Sputnik’s narratives resonated with certain political and ideological sentiments in Vietnam, allowing it to become a preferred source of information for readers sceptical of Western media portrayals of global events.
One key aspect of Mr Nguyen’s presentation was how Sputnik News constructs its narratives. He highlighted that the outlet frequently utilises selective reporting to portray Russia’s actions in a more positive light while undermining the Ukrainian government and what is often called ‘American imperialism’. For example, the coverage of Russia’s military operations and foreign policy initiatives often features language that resonates with similar sentiments among certain segments of the Vietnamese population and some representatives of the Vietnamese military and the police.
Mr Nguyen also addressed the strategic use of cultural and historical ties between Russia (the former Soviet Union) and Vietnam to disseminate pro-Russian narratives. He highlighted how Sputnik leverages shared experiences (i.e. nostalgia) from the Vietnam War to foster a sense of solidarity and mutual understanding from its Vietnamese audience. This historical framing not only aids in normalising the Russian perspective in Vietnam but also cultivates an emotional connection that may influence public opinion in favour of Russia. He also quoted his research of 10 Vietnamese Facebook pages to suggest that over the last 5 years, the impact of Sputnik’s narratives has become less noticeable among the younger Vietnamese Facebookers who are exposed to media influence from Western countries.
Moreover, Mr Nguyen underscored the importance of understanding the broader context of Russia’s disinformation strategy. He argued that the goal of such campaigns extends beyond mere influence in Vietnam; it forms part of a larger agenda aimed at undermining Western credibility globally. By promoting disinformation, Russia seeks to create division and distrust among the West and its allies while positioning itself as an alternative power. This is particularly relevant in the context of rising geopolitical tensions, where information warfare has become an integral component of modern conflicts.
In discussing the modalities of disinformation dissemination, Mr Nguyen noted that social media plays a critical role. With the rapid proliferation of platforms like Facebook and TikTok in Vietnam, content from Sputnik, including video clips from the war in Ukraine, is shared and reshared without rigorous fact-checking or critical analysis by Vietnamese social media users. This has enabled narratives that distort facts or outright fabricate information to reach broader audiences, often tapping into existing anxieties and grievances within Vietnamese society to gain traction.
Mr Nguyen also discussed the Vietnamese government and civil society’s response to the challenges posed by Russian disinformation. He noted that while attempts to regulate foreign media influence have been made, the effectiveness of these measures has been inconsistent. In the case of Sputnik News in Vietnam, it seemed the government made an exception for the Russian outlet to spread disinformation and war propaganda as far as it would not raise any issue against the government of Vietnam.
In his concluding remarks, Mr Nguyen reiterated the pressing need for proactive measures to counter Russian disinformation in Vietnam. He emphasised the importance of building a well-informed society to ensure national security and democratic integrity. He also called upon various stakeholders, including educators, policymakers, and media professionals, to prioritise enhancing media literacy and promoting transparency in information dissemination.
During the Q&A session, Mr Nguyen addressed questions about Sputnik’s influence on Vietnamese narratives regarding the conflict in Ukraine, with participants asking about the potential shift in Sputnik’s editorial stance in Vietnam, its focus on Vietnam compared to other Southeast Asian nations and the presence of Russian social media bots in the country. Mr Nguyen also answered questions regarding the connection between Russian disinformation campaigns and the Vietnamese political elite, generational differences in attitudes towards Russia, the effectiveness of the Ukrainian embassy’s outreach, and the challenges faced by pro-Russian social media accounts due to Meta’s restrictions on Sputnik and the rise of platforms like TikTok.
The webinar drew an audience of 43 participants.