In Vietnam, Telegram to Be Blocked

The decision to ban the messaging app Telegram was made by the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology. Reuters reports this, citing a government document in its possession.

The document states that, according to Vietnamese police, 68% of the 9,600 channels and groups on Telegram within the country are engaged in unlawful activities. These include fraud, drug trafficking, and terrorism.

"The Ministry of Technology of Vietnam has instructed telecommunications providers to block the Telegram messaging application for refusing to cooperate in the fight against alleged crimes committed by its users," the report says.

According to the agency, the document, dated May 21, mandates telecom companies to take measures to block Telegram and to report back to the ministry by June 2.

A ministry spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of the document to the agency. He explained that the ban followed Telegram’s refusal to provide Vietnamese authorities with user data upon request, as part of ongoing criminal investigations.