Telegram
Vietnam orders messaging app Telegram to be blocked, government document shows
HANOI — Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications has ordered local telecommunication providers to block access to the popular messaging app Telegram, citing the platform’s alleged role in enabling criminal activity and its lack of cooperation with law enforcement.
Dated May 21 and signed by a senior official from the telecom department, the directive instructed telecom companies to implement technical measures to block Telegram and submit compliance reports to the ministry by June 2. The decision was made at the request of the country’s cyber-security department, following concerns raised by police over the app’s misuse.
According to the document, 68% of the 9,600 Telegram groups and channels active in Vietnam have violated national laws. These include incidents of online fraud, drug trafficking, and even activities suspected to be linked to terrorism. Authorities noted that Telegram has refused to cooperate with criminal investigations by declining to provide user data when requested.
A technology ministry official confirmed the authenticity of the document and emphasized that the ban follows repeated, but unsuccessful, efforts to get Telegram to comply with local regulations.
Despite the official order, Telegram remained accessible in Vietnam as of Friday, May 23. However, telecom providers are expected to act promptly ahead of the June deadline.
The Vietnamese government has long maintained a strict approach to internet regulation. Under the ruling Communist Party, the country has enacted tight controls over digital content, frequently calling on global platforms like Facebook, Google’s YouTube, and TikTok to censor material deemed offensive, false, or anti-state.
The government claims Telegram has failed to enforce laws requiring digital platforms to monitor, remove, or block illegal content. Furthermore, the document alleged that “many groups with tens of thousands of participants were created by opposition and reactionary subjects spreading anti-government documents.”
Telegram, which boasts nearly one billion users globally, has faced international scrutiny over its data privacy practices and has been associated with illegal activities in several countries. In France, its founder Pavel Durov was briefly detained last year during a separate investigation involving online security issues.
Vietnam’s move to block Telegram underscores the growing tensions between governments seeking greater digital oversight and tech companies that advocate for user privacy and encrypted communications.
