VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Do Quy Doan talks about the circular guiding the control of blogs.

Deputy Minister Do Quy Doan

In the boom of blogs, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) is compiling a circular guiding blog development. How has this job been done so far?

The MIC is coordinating with some agencies to compile a circular to manage the operations of blogs. The document has been amended three times. It will be finalised in November for issuance in 2008.

What has been the biggest problem in the compilation process?

The most essential thing is defining the concept and boundaries of the “blog”. In English, the concept of the “blog” is being expanded. The Vietnamese dictionary doesn’t have this term now. Each person understands blogs in different ways. When the concept of the “blog” is defined more clearly, we can compile articles to guide the operations of blogs. That is the most important thing.

The blog is considered a personal forum to exchange private things but it is also seen as a channel for social criticism. What level will the circular control?

Blogs are personal electronic pages shared with a person, a group of people and the community about experience in life and studies, feelings, health, business issues and others. These are private issues and private opinions. In this circular, we put forward frameworks or a scope for operations of blogs.

This circular aims to create conditions for developing blogs and to assist everybody in expanding their use of the Internet to serve their lives and to share their experiences and feelings.

As blogs are personal sites, bloggers are not allowed to use blogs to promote anti-state activities, war and obscenity, or to offend the honour or prestige of organisations and individuals or to release secret state documents, etc.

Management of blogs is not simple administrative control. This circular will state what bloggers need to do and need to avoid. Management here means setting criteria for bloggers.

Does the circular have a framework for fines?

This circular doesn’t address fines for violations but Decree 97 stipulates fines for Internet-related violations already. A specific circular on administrative fines for Internet operations will be issued.

However, besides the responsibility of bloggers, this circular also has articles about the responsibility of service providers and management agencies.

(Source: VTC)