Vietnam National Assembly debates risks of online grassroots mediation

During a National Assembly discussion regarding the amended Law on Grassroots Mediation, officials raised concerns over the risks of implementing online mediation services.

Huỳnh Ngọc Liêm, Deputy Director of the Lâm Đồng Provincial Police, warned that online environments lack the control found in face-to-face meetings. He noted that parties could secretly record or edit footage to manipulate social media, or third parties could eavesdrop on sensitive information regarding property or family disputes. To mitigate these risks, he proposed three mandatory principles: mediation must be based on mutual consent, participants' identities must be verifiable, and any recording or storage of sessions requires explicit consent from all parties to protect personal data.

Other delegates discussed the selection process for mediators. Some suggested more rigorous appointment processes through local political organizations to ensure continuity, while others argued that mediators should primarily be reputable individuals from existing social organizations, such as the Veterans Association or the Women's Union, rather than through general elections.