Solutions for Firmly Safeguarding the Ideological Foundation of the Communist Party in the Digital Era in Vietnam Today

1. The Party’s Ideological Foundation: The Source of Revolutionary Strength and the Challenge of Protection in the Digital Era

From its inception, the Communist Party of Vietnam chose Marxism–Leninism as its ideological foundation, thereby clearly defining the path of proletarian revolution, with class struggle and the dictatorship of the proletariat as the driving forces to eliminate oppression and injustice, and move towards building a just, democratic, and civilized society. This ideological foundation enabled the Party to form a correct understanding of the laws of historical development, the crucial role of the masses, and the true nature of a revolutionary party.

On the basis of creatively inheriting and developing Marxism–Leninism to suit Vietnam’s specific conditions, Ho Chi Minh Thought emerged and became an essential component of the Party’s ideological foundation. Ho Chi Minh Thought clarified many core issues of the Vietnamese revolution, such as national independence in association with socialism, revolutionary ethics, and the role of human beings and the nation in the new era. It represents a synthesis of Marxist–Leninist revolutionary theory, the historical experiences of the Vietnamese people, the cultural values of the East, and progressive human values, forming a theoretical system that is profoundly scientific, revolutionary, and humanistic.

Therefore, Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought—serving as the ideological foundation and compass for action—not only define the values, methods, and goals of the country’s development process, but also provide a solid theoretical basis for the Party in formulating its guidelines, policies, organizational structure, and leadership of the revolutionary cause toward success. The decisive role of this ideological foundation has been clearly affirmed by the Party:

“Persistently and creatively applying Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought is a vital principle of the Party, the ideological foundation, and the compass for revolutionary action, determining the success or failure of the Vietnamese revolution.” ⁽¹⁾ Accordingly, safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation is not only a theoretical task but also an urgent political mission of long-term strategic significance for the survival of the Party and the development of the nation.

In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the vigorous process of digital transformation, the digital environment has become a new communication space where information spreads at unprecedented speed, transcending the boundaries of time and space. Social media platforms, online newspapers, discussion forums, and personal blogs have made it easier for individuals and organizations to share, access, and exchange information on a global scale. This presents a valuable opportunity to disseminate and promote the values of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s ideological foundation, enhance the image of the country and its people, and strengthen public trust in the Party’s leadership.

However, the digital environment also poses serious challenges to the task of protecting the Party’s ideological foundation. Cyberspace has become a fiercely contested ideological battleground, where hostile, reactionary, and politically opportunistic forces have intensified their subversive activities through increasingly sophisticated and hard-to-control tactics. These forces exploit sensitive social issues, distort history, deny the Party’s leadership, incite “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” within the Party, and especially launch direct attacks on its ideological foundation—namely Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought.

Distorted and misleading content is often disguised in the form of “contributions,” “critical commentary,” or “academic freedom,” aiming to sow doubt and skepticism among the public—particularly targeting young people, intellectuals, and even Party officials and members. The rapid spread, lack of oversight, and anonymity of the internet environment make it easier for such false narratives to reach a wide audience, disrupt public perception, and directly threaten ideological and political stability within society.

Therefore, recognizing the true nature of the digital environment as a new front in the ideological struggle and proactively developing solutions to safeguard the Party’s ideological foundation in cyberspace is an urgent requirement in the current period. This necessitates a comprehensive approach that combines political–ideological, technological–communicative, and legal–governance solutions in order to both capitalize on the advantages of the digital environment for ideological work and effectively prevent and counter subversive activities.

In the context of rapid digital transformation, the digital environment has created a new space for communication, providing favorable conditions for disseminating the Party’s ideological and theoretical values. However, it is also a site of fierce ideological confrontation, marked by increasing subversive activities from hostile forces. These actors exploit cyberspace to spread distorted information, deny the Party’s ideological foundation, reject Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, and challenge the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Particularly concerning is their use of modern formats, familiar language, and sensitive social issues to disguise hostile content—planting seeds of doubt and inciting opposition among segments of the public.

Moreover, misinformation spreads rapidly and widely on cross-border social media platforms, while efforts to counter false narratives and communicate political theory in the digital space remain limited in both content and delivery. In light of this reality, a coordinated implementation of multiple solutions is essential to firmly safeguard the Party’s ideological foundation.

First and foremost, it is necessary to innovate the content and format of political theory dissemination on digital platforms, building a vibrant and authoritative digital content ecosystem aligned with modern audience preferences. Alongside this, it is vital to train a digitally competent ideological and theoretical workforce capable of mastering new media tools and applying artificial intelligence and big data to promptly detect and refute false viewpoints.

In addition to improving the legal framework and strengthening content regulation in cyberspace, promoting the role of revolutionary journalism, the political education system, mass organizations such as the Youth Union, and the participation of the entire population are decisive factors in protecting the Party’s ideological foundation in today’s digital age.

As affirmed in the Documents of the 13th National Party Congress:“Persistently and creatively applying Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought is a vital principle of the Party, the ideological foundation, and the compass for revolutionary action, determining the success or failure of the Vietnamese revolution.” ⁽²⁾

Moreover, protecting the Party’s ideological foundation in cyberspace is “an urgent necessity and a decisive battlefield in the struggle to defend the independence, sovereignty, and sustainable development of the nation.”

The current digital environment presents numerous serious challenges to the task of safeguarding the ideological foundation of the Communist Party of Vietnam. First, cyberspace has become a domain actively exploited by hostile forces to disseminate false and distorted information that denies Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, thereby causing confusion and doubt among some Party officials, members, and the general public. These forces increasingly use sophisticated and diverse tactics—such as spreading fake news and exploiting sensitive social issues—to incite division and undermine public trust in the Party’s leadership.

Second, the speed at which information spreads on social media often exceeds the capacity of authorities and ideological cadres to respond and refute harmful content in a timely manner. Furthermore, a portion of officials and Party members still lack the necessary knowledge and skills to identify and counter false viewpoints in the digital space, thereby weakening the effectiveness of efforts to protect the Party’s ideological foundation.

In the face of these challenges, it is essential to implement a comprehensive and coordinated set of solutions. First, innovate the content and methods of political theory communication in the digital environment. This includes applying digital technologies and multimedia communication to create engaging, accessible information products that align with modern consumption habits and trends. Second, strengthen the training and capacity-building of Party officials and members in digital tools, improving their ability to recognize and respond to false and hostile narratives online. Third, improve the legal system and management mechanisms for monitoring and controlling online content, ensuring the timely prevention and strict handling of acts that spread distorted or subversive information. Fourth, promote the role of revolutionary journalism and socio-political organizations in disseminating and amplifying the core values of Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, while mobilizing the active participation of the entire population in protecting the Party’s ideological foundation in cyberspace.

In conclusion, only through close and synchronized coordination—between innovation in ideological work, the application of modern technology, and the improvement of institutional governance—can the ideological foundation of the Party be firmly safeguarded in an increasingly complex digital environment.

2. Current Situation and Challenges in Safeguarding the Party’s Ideological Foundation in the Digital Environment

In the context of the rapidly advancing Fourth Industrial Revolution, the digital environment has become increasingly prevalent and diverse, comprising key elements such as social media, the internet, artificial intelligence, and global cyberspace. Social platforms like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter—together with other digital tools—enable information to spread at lightning speed and across vast distances, transcending geographic and institutional boundaries. This digital space presents both significant opportunities and major challenges to the protection of the Party’s ideological foundation.

2.1. Multiple Opportunities and Advantages

First, the robust development of social media and digital technologies.

Social platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Zalo, and other online applications have become increasingly widespread in daily life, serving as vital and effective channels for rapidly and directly disseminating the Party’s guidelines and policies to Party officials, members, and the public.

New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Big Data, and data analytics provide essential support in collecting, analyzing, and forecasting public opinion trends. These tools allow management and propaganda agencies to swiftly grasp and handle false or distorted information in a timely manner.

Second, the strengthening of the Party’s digital communication platforms.

Official electronic portals, digital newspapers, and social media accounts managed by Party and State agencies have been invested in and upgraded, with increasingly diverse and modern forms of communication. These platforms help expand the reach of official information and foster effective two-way interaction with the public. The organization of online forums, seminars, and discussions has also helped raise awareness and promote understanding and consensus among Party members, officials, and the wider public regarding the Party’s guidelines and direction.

Third, enhanced awareness and technological access among Party members, officials, and young people. The widespread availability of digital technology, internet access, and smart devices has enabled Party members, officials, and particularly the younger generation to access and process information quickly. This has contributed to building a firm ideological foundation through digital channels.

Fourth, increased international cooperation and experience sharing.

Vietnam is gradually integrating more deeply into the global digital environment and learning from developed countries' experiences in managing and controlling information, combating fake news, and protecting cybersecurity. These efforts help improve the effectiveness of safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation in the digital era

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However, alongside these favorable conditions, there remain considerable challenges that must be addressed in order to effectively protect the Party’s ideological foundation.

2.2. Challenges

Although the digital environment offers numerous opportunities and advantages, it also presents complex and multifaceted challenges that hinder the effectiveness of safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation. These include:

First, the rapid and uncontrollable spread of information on social media.

Information—both positive and negative, including harmful, distorted, or false content—can spread at lightning speed on social media and digital platforms. This makes it difficult to manage and control, allowing misleading viewpoints to negatively influence the perception of Party officials, members, and the public.

Second, the exploitation of cyberspace by hostile forces.

Reactionary individuals and organizations, both domestic and foreign, frequently exploit the digital environment to spread false narratives, fake news, and incite social unrest, aiming to destabilize ideological, political, and social order. With sophisticated and diverse tactics such as fake accounts and the distribution of misleading videos and articles, their activities are increasingly difficult to detect and counter.

Third, unequal levels of digital literacy and access.

A segment of Party members, officials, and especially young people, still lack adequate political awareness, digital literacy, and the analytical skills necessary to assess and interpret online information. This makes them more vulnerable to misinformation and less responsive to official narratives.

Fourth, the complexity of the global digital space.

The borderless nature of the internet—with cross-national information flows that are multidimensional and difficult to regulate—poses a significant challenge to maintaining consistency and ideological stability in the context of globalization and deep international integration.

Fifth, the impact of emerging technologies.

Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes, and bot networks heighten the risk of spreading fabricated content, creating information confusion, and undermining public trust in official sources.

In summary, today’s digital environment is both a “fertile ground” offering substantial opportunities for enhancing the effectiveness of ideological protection, and a “minefield” of complex, challenging information threats. Accurately identifying these conditions and challenges forms the basis for developing well-aligned, comprehensive, and strategic solutions to protect the Party’s ideological foundation with steadfastness and resilience in the digital era.

Regarding the current situation of ideological protection in the digital space, notable progress has been achieved with the establishment and development of official digital portals and communication platforms managed by the Party and its propaganda apparatus. These efforts have contributed to building public trust and defending the Party’s ideological direction online. However, formidable challenges persist, as hostile forces continue to exploit digital platforms to spread misinformation, distort facts, incite opposition, and sabotage ideological unity.

Furthermore, the limited awareness and inadequate information-handling skills of some Party members—particularly among the youth—undermine the effectiveness of ideological struggle and weaken the defense of the Party’s ideological foundation in cyberspace. These challenges necessitate the implementation of coordinated, comprehensive, and strategic measures to firmly safeguard the Party’s ideological foundation in the digital age.

3. Solutions for Safeguarding the Party’s Ideological Foundation in the Digital Environment in Vietnam Today

First, enhance the capacity for ideological work dissemination in cyberspace.

This requires diversifying content delivery methods beyond traditional written articles by effectively utilizing modern media formats such as videos, infographics, and podcasts to create engaging and dynamic content that attracts audiences. At the same time, it is crucial to increase the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and other popular channels to spread positive, official information widely among Party officials, members, and the public—especially the younger generation. Furthermore, developing and improving the quality of the Party’s official media channels is essential to build platforms that strongly appeal to young audiences, thereby enhancing ideological communication effectiveness and strengthening interaction and engagement in the digital space.

Second, build a “digitally competent” team of theoretical and propaganda officials.

The cadre system responsible for ideological and propaganda work plays a pivotal role in safeguarding and promoting the Party’s ideological foundation in cyberspace. To meet the growing demands of the digital era, it is essential to improve their digital competencies and modern communication skills. This begins with the development of structured training programs, including practical exercises that integrate multimedia communication technologies such as graphic design, video production, and content creation tailored for popular platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.

Officials must be regularly updated on emerging technological trends, including artificial intelligence (AI), content recommendation algorithms, and interactive digital techniques—not only to deliver one-way information, but also to foster interaction and widely amplify official messages. At the same time, it is essential to improve their awareness and analytical skills to identify and respond promptly and effectively to harmful, distorted, and malicious content online.

In addition, policies should be introduced to en courage and enable propaganda officials to be creative in the digital space. This includes forming expert teams and developing digital officer networks at all levels—from central to local—in order to enhance coordination, strengthen connectivity, and avoid the dispersion of efforts or duplication of activities. Building a strong, digitally capable cadre will play a critical role in "occupying" the digital space and firmly safeguarding the ideological foundation of the Party in the digital age.

Third, strengthen the legal and technological foundations.

In the context of a rapidly evolving and complex digital environment, improving the legal framework is a prerequisite for protecting the Party’s ideological foundation. It is essential to enact and regularly update legal documents and strict regulations concerning the management of information in cyberspace, and to strictly punish acts involving the dissemination of toxic, distorted content and the abuse of social media to undermine political ideology. At the same time, coordination among relevant authorities must be reinforced to ensure effective monitoring, control, and enforcement in the digital space.

On the technological front, applying modern digital tools such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and Big Data to monitor and analyze online information is necessary to promptly detect hostile propaganda campaigns and misinformation. Developing secure, user-friendly, and accessible official digital communication platforms will help foster a healthy information environment.

In addition, investment in research and development of technologies that support automation in content filtering and moderation will help ease the burden on human resources and enhance the overall efficiency of ideological protection work. This not only improves the Party’s capacity to confront hostile narratives in cyberspace, but also represents a step forward in managing digital information in a more professional and modern direction.

A comprehensive strengthening of both legal and technological infrastructures will establish a resilient ecosystem, contributing to the effective and sustainable protection of the Party’s ideological foundation in the digital age.

(1)Văn kiện Đại hội đại biểu toàn quốc lần thứ XIII, Tập I, Nxb Chính trị quốc gia Sự thật, 2021, tr. 139.

(2) Văn kiện Đại hội Đảng toàn quốc lần thứ XIII, Tập I, 2021, tr. 139.

 References

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