Online content manipulation also became a higher priority for the authorities. As of early 2018, the Ministry of Information and Communications had worked with Facebook to remove 670 accounts it condemned as "spreading reactionary, anti-Party, anti-state information, defaming Vietnamese leaders and the state." Google had also complied with government requests and removed over 5,000 YouTube videos, which authorities claimed "slandered and defamed" the country's leaders. Internet freedom remained highly restricted in the past year, characterized by a draconian crackdown on activists and online expression.Ĭensorship through content removals became more systematic. Pro-democracy and independent news websites were hit with DDoS attacks from April to June 2018 (see Technical Attacks). Blogger Hoang Duc Binh was sentenced to 14 years in prison – the harshest sentence ever delivered to an activist – for his criticism of the Formosa environmental disaster (see Prosecutions and Arrests for Online Activities). Vietnam experienced a substantial crackdown against online speech, with several bloggers and activists handed severe prison sentences for their online activities. The government reportedly launched Force 47, a new military unit with over 10,000 staff to manipulate content online (see Media, Diversity, and Content Manipulation). The authorities successfully compelled Facebook and Google to remove hundreds of accounts and thousands of YouTube videos deemed critical of the state (see Content Removal). There were no deliberate disruptions to internet or mobile networks compared to the previous year (see Restrictions on Connectivity). Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content.
Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2018 - Vietnam, 1 November 2018, available at:
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