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Author	Assoc Prof Doan Thi To Uyen
Organisation/Institution	Hanoi Law University
Country	VIETNAM
Panel	Law and Society
Title	China’s Credential-Based Controls on Specialized Digital Content: A Targeted Approach to Combating Health and Legal Misinformation in Asia
Abstract	In the rapidly expanding digital environment, social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram have become deeply embedded in daily life across Asia. As information circulates at an unprecedented speed, controlling its accuracy has become increasingly challenging, especially in sensitive fields like healthcare and law, where misinformation can directly affect public health, rights, and safety. The highly specialized nature of medical and legal knowledge further limits the public’s ability to verify the accuracy of the content they encounter. While public demand for accessible legal and health information is high, their limited ability to assess technical information creates a fertile ground for misinformation and associated risks. In response to these concerns, China has implemented a credential-based regulatory model that requires professional verification for online content creation to ensure accuracy and public trust. This paper examines China’s “credential-based controls” as an emerging approach to digital information governance, analyzing it from the perspective of technology regulation and freedom of expression, especially in high-risk domains related to public health and legal education. Using a comparative analytical method, the paper studies China’s regulatory framework, evaluates its effectiveness in enhancing information quality and public credibility, and considers its relevance for sustainable governance in Asia. At the same time, the paper highlights key challenges, including potential restrictions on free speech and barriers for non-certified individuals who wish to share knowledge. Based on these findings, the study proposes policy recommendations aimed at balancing misinformation control with the protection of freedom of expression, contributing to the development of a responsible and effective legal framework for specialized digital content across Asia.
Biography	From September 1997 to March 2008, I served as a lecturer in the Department of Legislative Drafting, Faculty of Administrative–State Law, Hanoi Law University; from April 2008 to May 2011, I was Deputy Head of the Department of Legislative Drafting; from May 2011 to October 2015, I held the position of Head of the Department of Legislative Drafting; from November 2015 to June 2021, I served as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Administrative–State Law; and since July 2021, I have been the Dean of the Faculty of Administrative–State Law at Hanoi Law University. My current position is Dean, which is also the highest position I have held, and my current workplace is Hanoi Law University. My major research directions include: first, the scientific and practical foundations for developing and improving policies and laws to meet the requirements of modern national governance, with particular strengths in policy formulation, policy analysis and impact assessment, processes of drafting normative legal documents, legislative techniques, and specialized studies on improving legal and policy frameworks—most notably legal implementation monitoring, legal review and supervision, handling of legal documents, and legal interpretation and guidance. Second, I focus on theoretical and practical research on the development and implementation of laws that ensure human rights in the context of digital transformation. In an era of deepening international integration, Vietnam has actively joined and implemented international treaties through their incorporation into the domestic legal system. At the same time, digital transformation presents new legal challenges for lawmaking and law enforcement related to the protection of human rights. Therefore, adopting a rights-based approach to examine legal gaps and practical barriers to the exercise of rights—within the rapidly evolving digital context—constitutes a timely and essential research orientation.