Vietnam Orders Telegram Blocking, Turns Out This Is The Cause

Telegram di Vietnam dinilai telah melanggar hukum (foto: dok.unsplash)

JAKARTA - Vietnam's Ministry of Technology has ordered telecommunications service providers to block the Telegram messaging application because it is considered uncooperative in efforts to eradicate crimes committed by its users. Telegram stated that they were surprised by the decision.

In a document dated May 21 signed by the deputy head of the telecommunications department of the Ministry of Technology, a telecommunications company was ordered to take steps to block Telegram and report the results to the ministry no later than June 2.

This step was taken at the request of Vietnam's cybersecurity department after police reported that 68% of the 9,600 channels and Telegram groups in Vietnam had violated the law, including allegations of fraud, drug trafficking, and "cases suspected of terrorism".

The ministry asked telecommunications service providers to implement solutions and steps to prevent Telegram activities in Vietnam, the document reads. The Vietnamese government confirmed these measures through its official portal.

Telegram was shocked by the statement, said a Telegram representative quoted by VOI from Reuters. "We have responded to a request for legal action from the Vietnamese government on time. This morning we received an official notification from the Communications Authority regarding standard service notification procedures according to the new telecommunications regulations. The deadline for responding is May 27, and we are currently processing the request," he continued.

An official from the Ministry of Technology stated that the blocking was carried out because Telegram did not want to share user data with the government in the criminal investigation process.

Vietnamese police and state media have repeatedly warned the public about potential crimes, frauds and data breaches through Telegram channels and groups.

Telegram, which competes globally with other social media applications such as Facebook and WeChat's WhatsApp, is still accessible in Vietnam until Friday.

Vietnam's ruling Communist Party is known for its strict media censorship and does not tolerate dissent. The country routinely asks companies such as Facebook, Google (YouTube), and TikTok to cooperate with governments in eradicating content deemed 'dangerous', including offensive, fake, or anti-government.

Telegram is accused of not implementing a rule requiring social media platforms to monitor, delete, and block unlawful information, according to the document.

In addition, according to information from the police, groups with tens of thousands of members were created by the opposition and reactive groups who distributed anti-government documents.

The platform, which is used for free and has nearly 1 billion users worldwide, has several times been the center of controversy over data security and leakage, including in France, where its founder, Pavel Durov, was detained last year.