Vietnam's Communist Party is laying groundwork to harness artificial intelligence and social media influencers as tools for spreading government propaganda, according to internal party documents obtained by Reuters. The strategy reflects how authoritarian regimes are adapting to digital-age information warfare, blending traditional state control with modern technology.
The documents outline plans to identify and cultivate relationships with popular online personalities who can amplify party messaging to younger audiences. Officials want to use AI systems to track online sentiment, identify dissenting voices, and generate content that aligns with state interests. The initiative suggests Vietnam sees social media as a battleground where it must compete for narrative control rather than simply censor opposing views.
This approach mirrors tactics used by other governments seeking to shape public opinion through coordinated digital campaigns. For Vietnam, which has long restricted press freedom and internet access, the strategy represents an evolution in how the one-party state maintains information control in an era when traditional censorship alone proves insufficient to manage online discourse across platforms.
