Decree to block Facebook in Vietnam

Newsroom / Vietnam Today /

Posted: 9/01/2010

| Email

Decree to block Facebook in Vietnam

Facebook Back

In late summer 2009, a purported order by Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security to block access to Facebook and other external websites began to circulate on the internet. This leaked document, dated August 27, 2009, was addressed to ten local internet service providers. While the Hanoi government has never confirmed issuing this decree, in November 2009 internet users in Vietnam began reporting widespread Facebook outages. Several local ISP acknowledged privately that they were pressured by government authorities to suspend Facebook access.

Attached is the apparent Ministry of Public Security order and English translation.

No. 693/CV/KTNVI (P7)
Re: Blocking websites with bad contents

Hanoi, 27 August 2009

To:

VIETTEL Telecommunications Company

Vietnam Data Company (VDC)

FPT joint-stock Telecommunications Company

Hanoi joint-stock Telecoms Company (HINET)

NetNam Company

Saigon joint-stock Posts and Telecommunications Company

Power Telecommunications Company

OCI Internet Company

New Generation Telecoms Center

VTC Intercom Company

In order to meet security needs and fight propaganda activities against the Party and the Government over the Internet, the Technical Bureau I – General Security Department – Ministry of Public Security would like to instruct your companies to apply technical measures to thoroughly block these additional Websites:

1. http://apps.facebook.com
2. http://www/facebook.com
3. http://www.ddcvn.info
4. http://www.phapnanbatnha.net
5. http://www.viettalk24.com
6. http://www.caotraonhanban.com
7. http://www.cuunuoc.org
8. http://www.vungguomtritue.com

We are very much looking forward to your close cooperation.