Vietnam accuses Facebook of allowing illegal anti-state content

The Vietnamese government is considering withholding domestic revenue from Facebook amidst accusations the social media giant has broken a new cybersecurity law aimed at curbing anti-state content, state media reported on Wednesday.

“Authorities have accused Facebook of not responding to requests to remove anti-government posts and “libel” against state agencies.

“The content was found to be in violation of a cybersecurity law, which went into effect on January 1 that criminalises the digital transmission of anti-state content,’’ the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Critics of the law say it goes too far in limiting freedom of expression while free speech activists claimed it is aimed at quashing online dissent.

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Vietnam, which is a single-party communist state, outlaws dissent and violators face up to 20 years imprisonment.

The authorities also accused the California-based tech giant of allowing illegal goods, such as firecrackers and counterfeit products, to be advertised on its platform and of avoiding paying taxes on revenue.

According to market and consumer data firm Statista, about 60 million people in Vietnam use Facebook, making it the social network’s seventh largest market by country.

Under the recently enacted cyber law, Facebook and other foreign tech firms will be required to store user data in Vietnam, raising fears that the government could gain access to it.

The firms have one year to come into compliance with the law.

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