Vietnam to tighten grip on social media livestream activity
Reuters | 2021-07-14
HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam’s government is seeking to increase scrutiny of
livestream content on social media such as Facebook and Google, in its latest
move to rein in online activities it deems to be anti-state.
According to
a draft decree by the information and communications ministry, cross-border
social media platforms operating in Vietnam must provide contact information of
account operators with more than 10,000 followers or subscribers.
The ministry
estimates the top 10 Vietnamese social media platforms have about 80 million
users combined, while foreign competitors are dominant, with Facebook’s 65
million users, YouTube’s 60 million users and TikTok’s 20 million.
“These
platforms have not fully abided by Vietnamese laws,” the ministry said.
“A lot of
content posted there is disinformation, causing instability and frustration in
the society and inequality between domestic and foreign companies.”
Facebook and
TikTok had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters, while Google did not
immediately respond.
The ministry
said people were increasingly using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
and TikTok to deliver their own news or provide false information.
The draft
has yet to be approved and requires social media providers to block or remove
flagged content within 24 hours upon “justified” requests by Vietnamese
individuals and affected organisations.
“Virtually
every country that has adopted laws relating to online content has jeopardised
human rights in doing so,” said Peggy Hicks, Director of Thematic Engagement at
the U.N. human rights office.
“This
happens both because governments respond to public pressure by rushing in with
simple solutions for complex problems; and because some governments see this
legislation as a way to limit speech they dislike,” Hicks said in a statement.
Reuters
reported last week social media “influencers” were more likely to be soldiers
than celebrities, known as Force 47 and tasked with setting up, moderating and
posting on pro-state Facebook groups, to correct “wrong views” online.
Vietnam has
seen a major tightening of online content, with ramped up censorship of posts,
culls on accounts spreading “wrong views” and frequent criticism by regulators
of some global firms.
Additional
reporting by Stephanie Ulmer-Nebehay in Geneva; Editing by Martin Petty
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