Vietnam’s Digital Shield: Confronting the Deepfake Era

Vietnam is moving to harden its online information space at a moment when synthetic media is becoming cheaper, faster and harder to detect. The country’s response is no longer limited to cybersecurity in the narrow sense. It now stretches across law, public communication, data governance and institutional coordination, as officials and experts warn that deepfakes and AI-generated content can distort public trust at scale. The debate has sharpened as Hanoi pushes ahead with its broader digital transformation agenda. According to VietnamPlus, Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, issued by the Political Bureau on December 22, 2024, has accelerated reforms in technology, infrastructure, public services and the digital economy. But the same shift has also widened exposure to new forms of deception, from fabricated videos to impersonation scams and algorithm-driven misinformation campaigns.

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence has fundamentally altered the information risk landscape, requiring a paradigm shift in how threats are perceived and countered. Le Thanh Tung, head of the Communications and Knowledge Dissemination Department under the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, told VietnamPlus that AI can now produce large quantities of text, images, audio and video in a very short time. That speed, combined with deepfake tools that can mimic faces and voices with high realism, has made false material look increasingly authentic to ordinary users. He argued that the danger does not lie in the technologies themselves, but in how they are deployed. Big data systems and recommendation algorithms can be used to target people by interest, psychology or circumstance, allowing misleading content to spread more efficiently. Once emotionally charged material begins circulating, it can be repeated so often that it starts to feel credible even when it is not. That shift means information defence must begin earlier than before. Instead of reacting after a hoax has already gone viral, authorities and media organisations need to spot unusual narratives, suspicious distribution patterns and signs of coordinated fabrication at the outset. Public institutions cannot afford to allow information gaps to become a breeding ground for rumours and distortions, as the cost of inaction is measured in eroded trust and social instability.

To effectively counter these sophisticated threats, VietnamPlus reported that an effective digital shield would need three core capabilities working in concert. First, the system should issue early warnings by identifying unusual topics, sources and sharing patterns, along with signs of manipulated or orchestrated activity. This proactive intelligence-gathering is essential for staying ahead of disinformation campaigns. Second, it should enable rapid verification through coordination among authorities, databases, experts and the press, creating a networked response that can quickly confirm or debunk claims. Third, it must support proactive communication by pushing accurate, accessible and multimedia information to the right audiences after facts are confirmed, ensuring that the official narrative is not drowned out by falsehoods. Tung also pointed out that AI can be part of the solution if used carefully, helping to map information needs, identify gaps in public understanding and distribute verified content more efficiently. However, he cautioned that human responsibility must remain central; algorithms may assist, but they cannot be left to decide what is true without oversight and accountability. This approach fits into the wider policy direction set by Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, which calls for mastery of technology, stronger digital infrastructure, better data systems and greater innovation capacity. It also aligns with Directive No. 57-CT/TW, which emphasizes cybersecurity, information security and data security, framing the digital shield not as a standalone software product but as an integral part of national digital capability.

Vietnam has already expanded its legal toolkit for the digital era, signalling a clear commitment to establishing a regulatory foundation. VietnamPlus said the Data Law came into force on July 1, 2025, followed by the Law on Personal Data Protection on January 1, 2026, and the Cybersecurity Law on July 1, 2026. Together, these laws create a base for managing technological risk, protecting data, assigning responsibility and dealing with violations online. Yet experts say the pace of innovation is still outstripping the speed of legislation. Deepfakes and related tools evolve quickly, which means legal provisions must be flexible enough to remain enforceable as techniques change. The priority, according to the article, is a framework that sets clear principles, defines responsibility and risk thresholds, and still allows for technical updates, controlled testing and inter-agency coordination. This balance is critical because the harms are not abstract. Dr Nghiem Vu Khai, former Vice President of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, said people are increasingly exposed to cross-border scams, impersonation of state agencies, fraudulent electronic contracts, fake investment schemes, cryptocurrency-related fraud, AI-driven impersonation and theft of personal data. He noted that many victims are not deliberate lawbreakers but people who lack timely access to reliable legal guidance, making them vulnerable to sophisticated schemes.

In response to these growing threats, Khai proposed building a national AI-powered digital legal assistance system that would help organisations and individuals access official legal information, obtain advice and receive timely warnings on legal risks. Such a system, he said, should also support legal education and public dissemination while ensuring that legal data stays current and secure, personal data remains protected and AI-generated output is quality-checked. This proposal underscores a recognition that legal aid itself must evolve to meet the challenges of a digital age, providing citizens with the tools they need to navigate an increasingly complex online environment. Tung echoed the need for clearer accountability around AI-generated material. He said responsibility should be defined across model providers, distribution platforms, deploying entities, content creators and distributors, particularly when fabricated content threatens public order, safety, individual dignity, reputation or the interests of organisations and citizens. This comprehensive approach to liability is essential for creating a deterrent effect and ensuring that all actors in the information ecosystem understand their obligations.

That point is increasingly relevant for governments across Asia, where the cost of misinformation is rising alongside the adoption of generative AI. For Vietnam, the challenge is especially acute because the country is expanding digital public services, online commerce and data-driven administration at the same time as scams and synthetic media become more convincing. A weak information environment could slow trust in e-government, discourage digital payments and increase the cost of compliance for businesses. At the same time, overly restrictive rules could chill innovation in a sector that Vietnam wants to scale. That is why policymakers are being pushed toward a middle path: strong enough to deter abuse, but flexible enough to support experimentation, private-sector innovation and lawful information access. In practice, that means better verification systems, faster public communication and clearer liability rules will matter as much as the legislation itself. For now, Vietnam’s digital shield is still being assembled. But the direction is clear. The country is treating deepfakes and AI-enabled manipulation not as a future problem, but as a present test of institutional readiness, legal clarity and public trust. The next phase will determine whether the response can keep pace with the speed of the technology it is meant to contain, as Vietnam seeks to balance its ambitious digital transformation with the imperative to protect its citizens and democratic institutions from the corrosive effects of synthetic media.