Responsibility is not one person's alone

The policy of socialization in the publishing sector through the joint publishing model has brought about a vibrant, diverse and rich book market. However, without seriousness and responsibility in checking and supervising joint publications, the risk of bringing to the market erroneous and poor quality publications is very high.

Recently, social networks have been buzzing about the case of the book World History (Zenbooks and Dan Tri Publishing House), copyrighted by DK Publishing House (UK) and translated by Le Thi Huong Ly. This is considered a historical encyclopedia for all readers, especially children. The content of the book presents the most important developments of each country, ethnicity and civilization. Thereby, helping readers understand the basic features of human history, the things that have shaped the present and the future.

However, on page 373, titled The Vietnam War, the book has serious errors in historical concepts. It can be understood that this is the viewpoint and perspective of a foreigner when writing about the American war of aggression against Vietnam, and the translator translated mechanically, without adjusting to suit historical reality. As a joint publication, in this case, the publishing units, most importantly the publisher, should have the responsibility to check and edit appropriately before delivering the book to readers.

Because publishers are always considered the most important filter in the publishing industry, they can contribute to improving the quality of a publication as well as deciding whether or not the publication will appear on the market. This requires publishing units to always work with the highest sense of responsibility, to ensure the quality of publications before they reach readers.

In the era of information flourishing and spreading on social networks, books are still considered a source of authentic and reliable knowledge, especially for children. Many parents still believe that books are a treasure trove of knowledge and a great teacher for their children. This expectation is completely understandable, as books are normally censored at many levels before being released to the market.

Letting children absorb incorrect knowledge is extremely dangerous and has unpredictable consequences. Therefore, in order to have good, quality works, in addition to the responsibility of the author, translator and associated unit, the highest responsibility still belongs to the publishers. Only then can we hope to create a healthy publishing environment, bringing necessary, useful and accurate knowledge to readers.

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Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/trach-nhiem-khong-cua-rieng-ai-post798694.html