On May 31, the Ministry of Public Security said police in Tran Phu Commune, Hanoi, had issued an administrative penalty against N.H.D. for "providing and sharing fabricated and false information, distorting facts, and affecting the reputation of organizations and individuals."

The fine was set at 7.5 million VND ($295).

Earlier, local police discovered that a Facebook account named "Cho Sach" had posted an article accompanied by images claiming that rice drying outdoors had burst into popcorn-like pieces under intense heat. The post attracted significant attention and discussion on social media.

An investigation identified the person behind the post as N.H.D., born in 1979 and residing in Hanoi.

At the police station, N.H.D. admitted that he had taken an image from social media, combined it with a personal photograph and uploaded it to Facebook to attract attention and increase engagement. He acknowledged that the content did not depict a real event and had misled readers.

After being informed about legal regulations governing social media use, N.H.D. recognized his violation, voluntarily removed the post and pledged not to repeat the offence.

Through the case, authorities urged the public to act responsibly when participating in online activities, verify information before posting or sharing it, and refrain from disseminating false or misleading content that could affect public order or infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals.

Officials warned that violations involving the spread of false information online would be handled strictly in accordance with the law.

Dinh Hieu