Vietnam pushes cross-border platforms to remove nearly 16,000 violations in 2024

In 2024, cross-border platforms such as Facebook, Google, and TikTok removed 15,995 pieces of content deemed in violation of Vietnamese laws.

The Department of Broadcasting, Television, and Electronic Information (Ministry of Information and Communications) continued its firm yet flexible measures to compel these platforms to comply with Vietnamese regulations.

Collaborative efforts with tech giants

The Ministry of Information and Communications organized around 20 meetings, including routine and ad hoc discussions, with senior leaders and representatives from major cross-border platforms such as Facebook, Google, TikTok, Netflix, and Apple. These meetings served to remind and urge compliance with local laws.

As of December 2024, Facebook blocked or removed 8,981 items, including 8,463 posts, 349 accounts, 16 groups, and 153 pages (a 94% compliance rate).

Google removed 6,043 violations on YouTube, encompassing 6,007 videos and 36 channels (which had collectively posted over 39,000 videos) with a 91% compliance rate.

TikTok removed 971 items, including 677 videos and 294 accounts (which had posted over 94,000 videos) with a compliance rate of 93%.

Deepening cooperation

The year 2024 marked greater collaboration between the Ministry and platforms like Facebook, Google, and TikTok. These partnerships extended to initiatives such as: Digital transformation workshops for broadcasters; Media campaigns to raise awareness of online scams; Celebrations honoring Vietnamese digital content creators.

The Ministry also proposed and guided the establishment of centers to combat fake news and harmful content at the local level, creating a national network for addressing misinformation and online scams.

Currently, 20 provinces and cities have set up fake news response centers. The national portal for reporting fake news and harmful content (tingia.gov.vn) has been upgraded to enhance accessibility for the public.

In 2024, the portal received 1,378 reports, including: 591 related to harmful content; 434 about online financial scams.
68 about identity fraud or impersonation.

The portal also published timely corrections of fake news and conducted over 50 articles warning against significant scams and misinformation. Additionally, it blocked more than 1,700 websites involved in fake news, fraud, gambling, and inappropriate advertisements.

The Ministry has further improved its outreach by launching social media channels for the National Center for Fake News and Harmful Content, making it easier for the public to engage with and access its services.