(Hanoi, 24th) Vietnamese telecommunications and internet service providers have been required to block the messaging app Telegram through technical means, according to the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority (VNTA) announcement.
According to VNTA, the agency received an official document from the Ministry of Public Security's Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention (A05 department) regarding the operation of Telegram in Vietnam.
According to A05 statistics, about 9,600 Telegram channels and groups operate within Vietnam, 68% of which contain harmful content.
The police agency stated that many of these groups, some with tens of thousands of members, are run by reactionary or anti-government forces to spread subversive documents. Fraud, illegal sales of user data, drugs, and cases suspected of terrorism are frequent.
According to Decree No. 147 of 2024 regarding the provision and use of internet services and network information management, cross-border service providers like Telegram must comply with Vietnamese law when providing services in Vietnam.
Such service providers need to submit contact information to relevant departments and, as required by cybersecurity law, monitor, remove, and block illegal content, services, and applications.
The decree stipulates that if a foreign service provider violates Vietnamese law and refuses to cooperate with relevant departments to address violations, the Vietnamese authorities can take technical measures to prevent the internet from being abused to endanger national security, social security and order, morality, and protect children and adolescents from the negative effects of the internet.
The A05 document also states that under Article 9, Clause 1 of the Telecommunications Law, using telecommunications services to subvert state power or endanger national security and social order is strictly prohibited.
In such cases, telecommunications and internet service providers are obliged to implement service blocking according to Article 13, Clause 2(d) of the same law.
From January 1, 2025, basic telecommunications service providers must also record with relevant departments before activating services. Telegram has failed to comply with this regulation, the police pointed out.
According to Article 9, Clause 4 of the Telecommunications Law, providing telecommunication services without proper authorization is illegal. Regarding this, telecommunications enterprises need to take technical measures to block services according to Article 79, Clause 1(c) of Decree No. 163 of 2024.