Vietnam to block Telegram in early June

Vietnam’s internet service providers will block the Telegram messaging app by early June, following a police directive, the government announced on May 23.

The move comes after accusations that Telegram hosts channels distributing “anti-state documents” and engaging in harmful activities.

The Ministry of Public Security said 68% of the 9,600 Telegram channels in Vietnam are linked to extremism, drug trafficking, and the sale of user data.

Telegram has also been criticized for not cooperating with local authorities and failing to report violations as required by law.

Companies must submit their plans to block the app by June 2, 2025.

Last year, the government began requiring social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok to verify user identities and share data with authorities.

🔗 Source: Agence France-Presse

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Vietnam’s expanding internet control follows predictable pattern

Vietnam’s Telegram ban represents the latest step in a systematic tightening of internet controls that spans over a decade.

The government first established broad censorship powers with Decree 72 in 2013, which prohibited sharing information that could “oppose the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” or “undermine national customs” 1.

This control expanded significantly with the 2019 Cybersecurity Law, requiring platforms to remove content within 24 hours of government requests and mandating data localization 2.

The recent Decree 147, implemented in December 2024, further strengthened these powers by requiring user identity verification and giving authorities expanded access to platform data 3.

Each regulatory step has consistently cited “national security” as justification while broadening the definition of prohibited content, allowing authorities to target an increasingly wide range of online expression.

Vietnam has simultaneously built technical enforcement capabilities, establishing military unit “Force 47” specifically to combat online dissent and monitor social media platforms 4.