Vietnam has introduced a 'fake news' decree aimed at addressing the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 over social media in the country, Reuters reported.

The new rules went into effect on Apr. 15, and will see a fine of VND10-20 million (S$605-S$1,210) imposed on people who make use of social media to share "false, untruthful, distorted or slanderous information", according to the decree.

Fines are already being handed out

Fines have already been handed out by local authorities however, prior to the introduction of the new decree, as part of a wider crackdown on Covid-19 misinformation.

In addition, Vietnamese English daily Vietnam News reported that two people were also fined on the same day the law was introduced, for Facebook posts that they had put up about the virus.

Flower shop owner fined S$757 for stating social distancing will be extended to the end of April

In one case, a 33-year-old flower shop owner was fined VND12.5 million (S$757) for writing that social distancing in the country will be officially extended until the end of April, and that the decision had been on Apr. 6.

On Apr. 14, she admitted to Vietnam's Information and Communications Department that the post was false, and that she just wanted to more people to visit her fan page and sell more flowers.

According to Bloomberg, Vietnam's stay-at-home and social distancing orders were first implemented on Apr. 1, for a duration of 15 days.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is currently reviewing whether to extend the orders for another week, according to a proposal put forward by the country's steering committee overseeing the outbreak.

Another user fined S$605 for causing panic

As for the second case, he was fined S$605 on the grounds of causing panic.

Vietnam News further reported that he had copied information about the virus at a school in Vietnam's Ninh Bình Province, then pasted it on his own Facebook account with his own comments which caused concern.

Police investigation revealed that the information in question was from the school, pertaining to its  teachers coming into close contact with a person who had direct contact with a Covid-19 case.

The man subsequently admitted that he made a mistake and promised not to post incorrect information henceforth.

New decree is not just limited to Covid-19 misinformation

Reuters further reported that the new decree is not just limited to Covid-19 misinformation on social media however.

The decree also extends to people who share publications that are banned in Vietnam, state secrets, and maps which fail to show Vietnam's claims in the South China Sea.

As such, the decree has raised some concerns among rights groups, with the Director of Tech at Amnesty International, Tanya O'Carroll, calling it a "potent weapon in the Vietnamese authorities’ arsenal of online repression."

Thus far, Vietnam has reported 267 cases and no deaths from Covid-19.

Top photo by Maya-Anaïs Y via Flickr