Vietnam Demands Tech Giants Deploy AI To Filter And Remove Offensive Speech, Anti-State Narratives And 'Toxic' Content

Countries around the world are getting serious about using artificial intelligence (AI) for good as well as regulations to help curb undesirable behavior. Most recently, Vietnam got in on the action by demanding that tech giants — including Meta Platform Inc.'s Facebook and Alphabet Inc.'s Google — deploy artificial intelligence to filter "toxic" content.

The Details 

According to state media reports, Vietnam asked international social media platforms to leverage artificial intelligence to automatically detect and remove "toxic" content, including offensive material, misinformation and anti-state narratives. This is another step forward as Vietnam implements more regulations on tech firms like Meta's Facebook, Google's YouTube, and TikTok.

Vietnam's government has frequently urged these companies to work hand-in-hand with authorities to cleanse their platforms of harmful content. This directive, publicized during an exclusive mid-year review event by the information ministry, is the first of its kind.

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What's Next? 

The report did not mention a timeline or methodology for implementing the new requirement. Data shared by the ministry revealed that Facebook has deleted 2,549 posts, YouTube has taken down 6,101 videos, and TikTok has removed 415 links in the first half of the year in response to government appeals.

This move aligns with Southeast Asian nations' endeavors to form AI governance and ethical standards, aiming to regulate and define boundaries for this fast-evolving technology.

In the past few years, Vietnam has imposed a series of regulations such as a cybersecurity law specifically aimed at foreign social media platforms. These measures aim to curb misinformation spread and obligate overseas tech companies to establish local offices and store data domestically.

Last month, a detailed review of TikTok’s local operations found several violations, according to the information ministry. Additionally, during Friday's event, Vietnam Television (VTV) reported that Netflix Inc., the American streaming behemoth, has filed the required paperwork to set up a local office in Vietnam. That's another tech giant that will have an impact on the Vietnamese public.

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Can AI Help?

AI has presented a number of safety concerns. One potential fear is the technology will be used to rapidly spread misinformation since bots like ChatGPT can easily spread conversational speech. Ideally, companies could use ChatGPT to create millions of fake bots that can make posts and influence ideas using ChatGPT and other programs.

While there are concerns, there have been a number of beneficial use cases as well. For example, startups like AvaWatz are using autonomous robots and drone teams to scan airfields for hazardous debree, and help increase efficiency and crop yield on farms.

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