The rise of Facebook in Vietnam was once seen as a “revolution,” allowing people to freely discuss current affairs and challenge the ruling Communist Party’s propaganda. However, as the social media giant gained popularity in the country, the government began to demand stricter restrictions. Meta, the company that owns Facebook, has repeatedly made concessions to the Vietnamese government, censoring dissent and silencing users who are deemed threats. It has even created a private internal list of Communist Party officials that cannot be criticized on Facebook. This list is unique to Vietnam in East Asia.
Now, the government is pushing for even harsher restrictions, leading Meta to consider tightening content controls or storing data on servers within Vietnam. This raises concerns about privacy and information security. Meta executives have not directly addressed questions about censorship or the list of officials. However, they state that their focus is on ensuring as many Vietnamese people as possible can use their platform to express themselves.
Facebook is deeply ingrained in Vietnamese society, with over 70% of the population using the platform for various purposes. Google’s YouTube and TikTok have also faced requests to remove sensitive content in Vietnam but have complied with the majority of them. However, Meta’s concessions in Vietnam go beyond those made in any other East Asian country.
Vietnamese officials previously worried that Silicon Valley firms would resist government requests to control content. However, they now believe these firms will bend to their demands, having successfully tested the limits. Meta has blocked more than 8,000 posts in Vietnam, with most of them opposing the Communist Party or containing information that distorts or slanders organizations or individuals. There has been an increase in censorship since 2017, with activists experiencing unfair accusations, posts being taken down, and accounts being frozen.
The Vietnamese government has become more assertive, enacting laws to control content online, and even establishing a military cyber unit to curb online criticism. Last year, a law was adopted requiring tech companies to establish local entities and store data on local servers. Meta initially panicked at the prospect of localization due to concerns over data privacy and security. The situation has led to a decade of silence, where people are unable to speak out against the government on Facebook.
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