Vietnam orders agencies to block Pavel Durov’s Telegram in the country

Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications has directed domestic telecommunication companies to block access to Telegram’s messaging platform, citing the app’s failure to cooperate with authorities in addressing criminal activity. 

The directive, dated May 21 and confirmed by a ministry official, requires telecom providers to implement technical solutions to restrict Telegram’s operations and report back to the ministry by June 2.

The Vietnamese government’s cybersecurity agency reportedly discovered that a sizeable percentage of Telegram’s Vietnamese user base is engaged in criminal activity, according to reports in the country’s local media.

According to the ministry’s internal report, police determined that 68% of the 9,600 Telegram channels and groups in Vietnam had violated the law. Reported offenses include fraud, drug trafficking, and activities suspected to be related to terrorism.

Telegram implicated in criminal exploitation

Cybersecurity professionals in Vietnam have been warning the government about Telegram’s potential for misuse. Tran Thanh Hoang, an expert based in Ho Chi Minh City, said the app’s features make it “simple” for digital criminals to take advantage of victims online. 

“Telegram’s lack of moderation and end-to-end encryption make it a haven for cybercriminals,” Hoang explained . He added that the app allows users to be anonymous, use spoofed foreign phone numbers, and erase their activity instantly, which could help fraudsters vanish out of authorities’ reach.

Telegram supports encrypted messaging, large group creation, unlimited file sharing, and bots powered by open APIs. Developers argue that these features safeguard user privacy, but they can create a playground for scams, particularly crypto fraud and malware distribution. 

“You never know who you’re actually chatting with,” Hoang said. “Automation and anonymity, when combined, are a powerful tool for deception.”

Failure to comply with national social media laws

Authorities are accusing Telegram of refusing to comply with Vietnamese laws that require digital platforms to monitor and remove illegal content. 

Facebook, Google’s YouTube, and TikTok, have been working with Vietnamese authorities to take down content deemed offensive or anti-state, but Telegram has reportedly declined to share user data during criminal investigations.

The government’s document states that many large Telegram groups were operated by opposition elements to distribute anti-government content. These groups, some with thousands of members, were flagged by police as platforms for spreading material that undermines state authority.

On April 16, in the city of Da Nang, police dismantled a prostitution ring operating through a Telegram group named “Lan Que Phuong,” which had amassed over 14,600 members since its inception in 2022.

Nguyen Truong Anh Tuan, a 40-year-old resident of Da Nang’s Ngu Hanh Son District, was arrested for running the operation. Authorities said Tuan had recruited approximately 300 sex workers and charged them monthly fees ranging from VND500,000 to VND2 million. Individual transactions were priced between VND500,000 ($20) and VND5 million ($200). 

According to police estimates, the operation facilitated transactions worth tens of billions of dong, generating billions in illicit profits for Tuan.

Vietnam’s strict rules on social media use

Months before calling for Telegram’s ban, Vietnam had imposed a new regulation, Decree 147, took effect on December 25, 2024, requiring all social media users to verify their identities with a Vietnamese phone number or national identification credentials before sharing content online. 

The government said the law would hold users accountable for their use of digital platforms and reduce anonymous activity that could facilitate crimes or spread misinformation.

Service providers are now mandated to classify online content and issue warnings for material deemed inappropriate for children. They are also required to implement protective measures for minors, receive and address user complaints related to harmful or illegal content.

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