Religious media crisis in the digital age

Keywords: Media; Media crisis; Religious media.

1. Introduction

Vietnam is a multi-faith, multi-religious country, with approximately 95% of the population having religious beliefs, including nearly 28 million followers of various religions (accounting for about 28% of the population). In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, cyberspace has become a new space where religious and spiritual activities flourish. According to reports by We Are Social & Meltwater and DataReportal on the popularity and usage of connected devices and services in Vietnam in 2025: In total, there will be 127 million active mobile connections in Vietnam by the beginning of 2025, equivalent to 126% of the population; Vietnam is expected to have 79.8 million internet users by the beginning of 2025, with 78.8% of the population having online connectivity; The number of social media accounts in Vietnam reached 76.2 million in January 2025, equivalent to 75.2% of the total population.

Science and technology, innovation associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially digital technology are developing rapidly and powerfully, creating breakthroughs in many fields, including the field of belief and religion. Religions and religious organizations have been using information technology and cyberspace to spread their teachings, organizing religious activities and connect with their communities and followers. With outstanding advantages such as the large amount of information transmitted, rapid dissemination, diverse and rich methods, no limitations on space, time or the number of participants,... The cyberspace has been thoroughly exploited and used by religious organizations and individuals for “online religious activities” in the form of online forums, seminars, private groups...; Through applications such as websites, Facebook fanpages, Zalo, Telegram, Instagram, Lotus, Mocha, Gapo, TikTok, Zoom and YouTube, they spread their faith and express their beliefs. Along with that, the concept of robot clergy; automated live sermons using text-to-speech software; the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to answer religious teachings,… is gradually becoming familiar to religions and their followers.

This shift has led to every action, statement by religious leaders and officials or religious policy being placed under the “microscope” of public opinion. Even a minor incident, if not handled promptly can escalate into a media crisis, affecting national unity and public order. Therefore, researching and developing a process for responding to religious media crises is an urgent requirement today.

2. Some cognitive issues regarding religious media crises and responding to religious media crises in the digital age

2.1. Concept of religious media crisis

From a social management and communication science perspective, a religious media crisis is defined as a sudden and negative shift in the flow of information related to beliefs and religions across mass media and social networks.

The essence of this phenomenon is the disconnect or conflict between societal expectations regarding religious norms and the reality of the behavior (or distorted information) of religious practitioners. When unfavorable information (regarding doctrine, the moral character of religious leaders or management) exceeds the usual control threshold, creating a “tipping point”, it leads to a serious decline in the reputation of the religious organization, erodes the trust of the community of believers and poses a potential risk to political stability and social order.

2.2. The fundamental characteristics of religious media crises in the current context

Unlike crises in the economic or civil spheres, religious media crises possess unique characteristics, reflecting the dialectical relationship between faith, society and politics. A crisis in religious communication can be identified by the following four core characteristics:

Firstly, the high level of sensitivity stems from infringing upon the “sacred territory” of belief. Religion, by its very nature is a special form of social consciousness, intrinsically linked to the sacred feelings and beliefs of human beings. Therefore, religious media crises often do not stop at rational debates but strongly trigger emotional responses. Negative information related to religious symbols or high-ranking religious figures is often perceived by the religious community as a direct insult to their faith, leading to collective, even extreme, defensive reactions, making it difficult to guide public opinion.

Secondly, there is the issue of its transboundary spread and the risk of being “politicized”. In the digital age, religious spaces have expanded beyond national borders. Religious affairs in Vietnam are frequently targeted and exploited by international organizations and hostile forces. This characteristic makes it easy for an internal church matter or a simple administrative violation to be distorted and elevated into a “human rights” issue or “religious freedom suppression”. From there, the media crisis was transformed into a lever for exerting diplomatic and political pressure on Vietnam on the international stage.

Thirdly, the “systemic generalization” and the lasting damage to trust caused by the media crisis. While in the commercial sector, media crises are often confined to a specific product or business, in religion, the “ripple effect” is much more pronounced. The misconduct of an individual religious figure or cleric is often equated by public opinion (especially by non-religious people or those with different religious beliefs) with the nature of the entire church organization or the morality of the entire religion. This erosion of faith is systemic and very difficult to restore, because religious belief is built on absolute reverence, and once it is broken, the rebuilding process requires a long time, even spanning many generations.

Fourthly, the “dual nature” in the regulation and handling mechanism. Resolving religious media crises is always governed by two parallel frames of reference: the laws of the State and the canon law/charter of the religious organization. An act may not constitute a crime under criminal law but may seriously violate religious precepts (such as breaking precepts, adultery, spiritual exploitation,…). This creates a communication complication: handling it solely through administrative orders would be perceived as interference in internal affairs; Leaving everything to the church would lead to public disapproval; therefore, this particular situation demands a delicate and coordinated approach, upholding both the rule of law and respecting the autonomy of religious organizations.

2.3. The mechanisms behind the formation of religious media crises in the digital age

In the digital age, crises no longer follow a linear pattern (from mainstream media to readers) but rather a multi-dimensional network pattern. A personal status update or a spliced ​​video on TikTok can trigger an “echo chamber” effect, where negative opinions are amplified and amplified before authorities can intervene. Through data analysis from recent real-world events, the main mechanisms for the formation of religious media crises in Vietnam can be identified as operating according to the following principles:

Firstly, there is the mechanism of “contextual fragmentation” and value conflict. In traditional settings, sermons by religious leaders usually take place in enclosed spaces (pagodas, churches) with an audience of followers who share the same faith. However, in the digital age, this content is “digitized” and uploaded to social media. Long lecture videos are often edited into short segments on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook, detached from their original context. When presented to the general public (including those without religion; those with other religious beliefs; or those with a critical, scientific mindset), religious language, symbolic language and philosophies of cause and effect are scrutinized through secular, scientific or legal lenses, creating intense conflicts in value systems. A typical example of this mechanism is the recent appearance on social media platforms of video clips featuring statements by some Buddhist dignitaries and monks, including controversial statements and lectures on the law of karma, history or fortune-telling. These edited video clips, upon their spread, sparked a strong backlash from the public, who accused religious leaders of spreading superstition and going against cultural norms, forcing the church to take disciplinary action. This demonstrates that the line between “religious internal affairs” and “public opinion” has been completely blurred.

Secondly, there is the mechanism of “social comparison” and the “echoing chamber” effect. Social media platforms’ algorithms often prioritize distributing high-contrast content to stimulate interaction. Religious crises often erupt when a “contrasting symbol” emerges, triggering a sense of comparison among the masses. The emergence of a new individual or religious phenomenon is placed in contrast with existing religious structures. The crowd effect quickly divided public opinion into two opposing extremes, creating endless debates, escalating the situation to a crisis of public order and security. The phenomenon of “Thich Minh Tue” (which appeared in May 2024) is a prime example of this mechanism. The initial incident was essentially an act of personal ascetic practice. However, a media crisis arose when “content creators” and the online community used images of patched robes and a rice cooker to compare and attack the lives of some monks and nuns belonging to the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha. The combined effect of thousands of comparison videos has generated immense public pressure, transforming a simple religious phenomenon into a complex issue of social security and state governance.

Thirdly, there is the mechanism of “de-sacralization” through collective verification. Religious beliefs are inherently based on sacredness and mystery. However, in the digital age, all information can be traced and verified instantly by the online community. When a religious organization announces elements that are considered “mysterious” or “sacred” to attract followers, the online community immediately uses search engines and open data to verify the source. When the truth is revealed to be different from the claims, a process of “demystification” occurs, leading to the collapse of trust and organizational credibility. The incident involving the “hair relic of the Buddha” at Ba Vang Pagoda, Quang Ninh province. As soon as the image of the “moving hair relic” was published and widely publicized, netizens quickly discovered similar products (Pili grass) being sold on e-commerce platforms. The speed at which social media exposes the truth has outpaced the response of authorities, leading to a serious crisis of trust and forcing government agencies and the Church to intervene and rectify the situation.

Fourthly, the “fabrication of reality” mechanism - a non-traditional security challenge. This is the most dangerous mechanism, characteristic of the AI ​​(artificial intelligence) era, where crises are created from complete fiction but appear real. Malicious actors are using Deepfake technology to impersonate the images and voices of reputable religious figures for personal gain (selling medicine, soliciting donations) or to cause harm (spreading false doctrines, inciting politics). Because religious leaders often have a significant influence on the perceptions of their followers, this kind of misinformation can be extremely damaging to their faith. The case involves individuals using AI to impersonate the images and voices of several Catholic dignitaries in order to advertise medicines and sell substandard products. Or there are cases of people faking lectures by famous monks and nuns to solicit charitable donations for personal accounts. This not only causes economic damage to the people but also diminishes the prestige of religious leaders and organizations, creating distrust within the community.

Fifthly, the interference and incitement of “opportunistic actors”. Recent experience shows that every religious media crisis in Vietnam, regardless of its internal origins, tends to be “politicized”. When incidents related to beliefs and religion erupt, overseas news outlets and ill-intentioned organizations immediately exploit and manipulate information to steer public opinion towards issues of “religious freedom” and “human rights”, accusing the government of lax management or religious repression. This factor increases the complexity, turning the media crisis into a political and security risk.

4. Conclusion

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has ushered in a new era for religious life, where cyberspace has become an extension of places of worship. However, it also presents vital challenges in managing reputation and trust. The crisis in religious communication in the digital age is an unavoidable and objective reality. However, it is entirely possible to control and transform it if we are well-prepared in terms of awareness and tools. Effective response relies not only on administrative orders or technical measures, but fundamentally on transparency, accountability and close coordination between the State and the Church. Only by establishing a cultural “green zone” in cyberspace can we protect the purity of religious beliefs and the stability of society, contributing to the cause of national construction and defense in the new situation.

The crisis in religious communication in the digital age is an unconventional challenge, requiring a new management mindset. Addressing this issue is not about “blinding and deafening” public opinion, but about building a transparent and healthy environment for religious information. The close coordination between the constructive management of the State and the proactive, self-governing spirit of religious organizations is the “key” to transforming crises, maintaining stability and leveraging religious resources for national development.

* Government Religious Affairs Committee

References

1. Government Religious Affairs Committee (2023), Summary Report on Religious Affairs in 2023.

2. We Are Social & Datareportal (2025), Digital 2025: Vietnam.

3. Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (2021), Textbook on Religious Studies and Religious Work, Political Theory Publishing House.

4. Law on Beliefs and Religions, 2016.

5. Government Decree No. 95/2023/ND-CP provides detailed regulations on a number of articles and measures for the implementation of the Law on Beliefs and Religions.

6. Law on Cybersecurity, 2018.