Asia

Vietnam

{This graph represents scores that have been modified by CIMA so that higher scores indicate a better media situation. It is intended to show trends over time; each index measures significantly different factors of press freedom. To see an explanation for how this graph was created, click here.}
 

The internet in Vietnam has undergone impressive development over the past decade, and is now accessed by over a quarter of the population. Since the medium’s introduction in 1997, the ruling Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) has demonstrated concern that the internet could be used to challenge its monopoly on political power, leading to contradictory policies designed to support or suppress online activities.

Read more on Freedom House's site...

Vietnam targeted online journalists in a clampdown on dissent ahead of a 2011 Communist Party Congress at which top government appointments and policies were to be determined. At least five journalistic bloggers were among dozens of activists arrested on national security-related charges, including "spreading propaganda against the state" and "abusing democratic freedoms." The government maintained some of the world's strictest Internet controls, which included blocks on Facebook and numerous Vietnamese-language websites, including those maintained by the exile-run, pro-democracy Viet Tan and human rights organizations critical of the government. Independent analysts found evidence of official involvement in hacking attacks on critical blogs and websites.

The crackdown on online dissent came as Internet penetration grew to 24.2 million users, representing about 28 percent of the population, according to the International Telecommunication Union. Vietnam was in a situation similar to that of China: With an eye toward economic growth, the government was committed to improving Internet access even as it maintained strict control of content. The government used three main techniques to control cyberspace: blocking and filtering; hacker attacks, including DDOS attacks; and arrest and intimidation of citizen journalists and bloggers.

Read more on CPJ’s site...

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