HANOI: Social media giants YouTube, TikTok and Facebook removed nearly 800 “anti-state” or “false” posts in Vietnam over the course of a month at the request of the communist government, state media said on Friday (Oct 6).
Around 380 YouTube videos, 364 Facebook posts and 33 TikTok links were taken down or blocked between mid-August and mid-September, state-controlled Thanh Nien newspaper said in a report, quoting the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC).
Some of the posts contained “false and negative … content against the party, state, organisations and individuals … defaming leaders”, the report added.
Vietnam’s communist government tolerates no dissent to one-party rule and social media restrictions are used by the state to curb freedom of expression.
All media is under state control and government critics with online followings are regularly targeted.
On Thursday, the MIC announced results from an investigation into TikTok, which has an estimated 50 million users in Vietnam.
Source: CNA
