“Hoaxers Exposed: Hoaxers and Influencers Face the Music in Ho Chi Minh City”

On June 4th, at the workshop “Food Industry Media: Crisis Identification and Sustainable Development Solutions for Ho Chi Minh City,” organized by Doanh Nhan Sai Gon Magazine in collaboration with the city’s Food and Foodstuff Association (FFA) and the Ho Chi Minh City Advertising Association (HAA), authorities proposed several solutions for media management in the food industry. Notably, they suggested creating a “white list” and a “blacklist” of KOLs, KOCs, and entities engaged in food industry media.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoi, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Culture and Sports, these lists aim to help businesses and consumers identify reliable and trustworthy individuals and organizations in the media landscape.

This move is essential given the increasing incidence of false advertising, counterfeit food products, and the uncontrolled participation of KOLs and KOCs on social media.

“The successive incidents of false advertising on social media, the uncontrolled participation of KOLs and KOCs, along with the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard food products, have caused serious media shocks and eroded consumer confidence built over the years,” said Mr. Hoi.

He added that the lists would be regularly updated and made publicly available, forming part of a comprehensive solution for managing media in the food industry.

Ho Chi Minh City has also established a special task force led by the Chairman of the City People’s Committee to direct the fight against smuggling, commercial fraud, counterfeit goods, and intellectual property infringement.

At the workshop, Ms. Ly Kim Chi, Chairman of FFA, emphasized the pivotal role of media in the food industry. She pointed out that when misused or unverified, media can become a “media storm,” triggering severe crises that impact supply chains and consumer trust.

Ms. Chi cited examples of incidents like the “fake egg” rumor and the Kera candy issue to illustrate how media, when misused or unverified, can have negative impacts, cause public confusion, and severely affect businesses. Conversely, when used appropriately, media can be a powerful tool to help businesses overcome crises and enhance their competitiveness.

From a food safety management perspective, Ms. Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Food Safety Department, emphasized the need for sober and responsible media practices, avoiding one-sided and unverified reporting. She also proposed amendments to legal regulations to enhance the effectiveness of food inspection and control.