March 20, 2015
Ahead of this year’s RightsCon, Viet Tan presents our analysis on Vietnam’s social media landscape.
With a population of 93 million and an internet user base fast approaching 40 million, Vietnam represents a huge opportunity for marketers, activists, technology companies, and censors. Social media is becoming integral in the everyday life of many Vietnamese.
While internet participation is global, its participants are still subjected to a political system in the offline world. In the case of Vietnam, rapid adoption of connectivity has provided unique challenges for the government, resulting in repressive technical measures and the haphazard application of restrictive laws. This paper analyzes how social media is changing Vietnam and offers recommendations to further its positive impact.