Fake news is now a civic issue in Westminster.
City officials spent part of the March 9 city council meeting debating a resolution from Councilman Tai Do condemning Vietnamese-language “fake news.” One outlet, Do said, has spread what he termed inflammatory lies that put his colleagues Kimberly Ho and Carlos Manzo in danger. The resolution passed 3-2, with Mayor Tri Ta and Councilman Charlie Nguyen opposed.
The resolution points to Trust Media Network as “the primary source of fake news” in local Vietnamese-language media. Founded by video blogger Nam Quan Nguyen, the YouTube channel counts more than 200,000 subscribers in Little Saigon and beyond.
Nguyen, who has defended his journalism, said Friday that he was unsurprised by the vote.
“Everything the gang of three does is just to get revenge on Mayor Ta and Councilman Charlie Nguyen,” he said. “They are so childish.”
Backers of the resolution used Trust Media stories to make their argument. During the meeting, Do displayed his cellphone on Zoom, playing a half dozen Trust Media excerpts while a professional interpreter translated them into English.
In the videos, Nam Quan Nguyen, his co-host Ky Ngo and their guests repeatedly make inaccurate and unproven claims. They said, without evidence, that Manzo is racist toward Vietnamese Americans and that Ho wants to destroy a Buddhist temple.
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