Hanoi: Vietnam has instructed its telecommunication service providers to block the messaging platform Telegram, citing its failure to cooperate with criminal investigations involving its users.
Telegram responded with surprise, asserting it had complied with Vietnam’s legal requests and is still processing a recent one, due by May 27.
The Vietnamese government’s news portal revealed that the country’s Ministry of Science and Technology had issued official letters to internet service providers, warning them about ‘signs of law violation’ on Telegram.
The ministry ordered ISPs to implement measures to prevent Telegram’s activities within Vietnam and to report their compliance by June 2. According to the government, nearly 70 percent of Telegram’s 9,600 active channels in Vietnam carry what authorities describe as ‘poisonous and bad information.’
Vietnamese police claim that large groups and associations operating on Telegram have shared anti-state documents, engaged in reactionary activities, sold user data, participated in drug trafficking, and had possible connections to terrorist networks.
Vietnam’s administration, known for its tough stance against dissent and its rapid action against critics, particularly online has been tightening digital control.
New regulations introduced last year require social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook to verify user identities and provide data to authorities. Critics say these policies mark a deeper crackdown on freedom of expression in the one-party communist state.
Despite the new directive, Telegram remained accessible in Vietnam. According to DataReportal, there were approximately 79.8 million internet users in Vietnam at the start of 2025. Data collection firm SOAX estimates that around 11.8 million Vietnamese use Telegram.
In a statement, Telegram said that it was ‘surprised’ by the government’s decision. A company representative explained that, “We have responded to legal requests from Vietnam on time. The deadline for the response is May 27, and we are processing the request.”
However, a Vietnamese official maintained that the block followed Telegram’s refusal to share user data necessary for ongoing criminal investigations. Telegram, which has nearly a billion users worldwide, has faced scrutiny in various countries over concerns involving extremist content and user privacy.
Telegram’s Russian-born founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, was recently detained at a Paris airport and charged with several offenses related to Telegram’s failure to curb terrorist and extremist content on the platform. Durov remains in France under restrictions and cannot leave the country without permission from authorities.
POPULAR | UK net migration halves as visa rules tighten in 2024; Report
