Vietnam budget airline, VietJet Air, has asked Hanoi’s mayor to clamp down on social media users spreading what it calls “false information”, Radio Free Asia has reported.
Key details in the article include:
- VietJet CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao was directly named in the government’s Facebook post, later quietly edited.
- Hanoi Mayor Tran Sy Thanh ordered local agencies to investigate and “handle” Facebook accounts spreading negative content about VietJet.
- This marks at least the second incident this year involving public suppression of online satire aimed at Thao.
- Earlier this year, two social media users were interrogated by police and forced to sign commitments not to repeat posts mocking Thao and VietJet.
- Similar tactics have previously been used by VinFast, which filed police reports against critical customers. See also: Media Relations in Vietnam: Lessons from VinFast.
- An unnamed Hanoi lawyer has criticised the move, arguing that government intervention on behalf of a private firm undermines public trust and the rule of law.
The case highlights Vietnam’s tightening control over online speech, where private firms with political ties increasingly enlist state agencies to shield reputations. Foreign firms should be mindful of this in that what is in the public arena is not always a true representation of public sentiment toward a firm or its reputation.
See also: What The Economist Episode Says About Public Debate in Vietnam