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The Markup’s series on the impact of misinformation on the Vietnamese immigrant community, “Languages of Misinformation,” has won the Asian American Journalism Association’s excellence in online/digital journalism engagement award.
Judges said the series “brilliantly tackled misinformation on YouTube, hitting home for the Vietnamese and wider AAPI communities. By teaming up with Mai Bui, a 67-year-old YouTuber grandma, and crafting a guide for younger Vietnamese Americans, the work didn’t just tell a story—it gave a platform to real voices and bridged generational gaps. The multi-layered approach to connecting with the audience sets the work apart, making it a standout choice for the category.”
Across the “Languages of Misinformation” series, investigative reporter Lam Thuy Vo listened to the Vietnamese community to identify what stories needed to be told, and community and social media manager Maria Puertas translated the pieces into standalone, accessible resources on social media. Here are our first three stories:
- Vietnamese YouTuber Is Filling Information Voids with Newsmax and Breitbart
How one Vietnamese community depends on YouTube for news, and what that tells us about the unmet needs of immigrant enclaves - Meet the Vietnamese Grandmother Fighting Misinformation One YouTube Video at a Time
“I don't think the Vietnamese people in the U.S. get enough credible news. And I don't know how to help them get credible news, except that I do the best I can with my videos.” - Second-Generation Americans: What to Do When Loved Ones Are Sharing Misinformation
Don’t get into a political argument. Talk about misinformation instead
Our first story identified misinformation the community constantly encountered, and also assessed what information the group needed but did not have easy access to. Based on that, Lam hosted two community workshops, one on how to combat misinformation, and one on artificial intelligence and identifying deep fakes.
Our second story featured a community member who was already working to combat misinformation: Bùi Như Mai, a 67-year-old grandmother and retired engineer with no formal journalism training. We worked with Mai to tell her story in English and Vietnamese, and we are proud that Mai is also being honored by this AAJA award.
Our third story, created in response to reader requests, is a guide for second-generation Americans, or anyone who wants to have productive conversations with loved ones about misinformation. Our tips come from interviews with misinformation experts—including those who focus on Asian communities—to understand what people can do to help others identify misinformation and find better-quality information online.
A big congratulations to the entire team for recognition of their hard work. Congratulations too, to all of this year’s AAJA award winners.
