The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

Incident

Vietnam: Decree 72 restricts blogs to personal information

Viet NamRSF rank: not recorded

Engraving of an empty press briefing room with a lectern and rows of chairs

Vietnam's Decree 72 took effect in September 2013, barring bloggers and social media users from linking to or reposting news from press organizations or foreign government websites, restricting them to sharing personal information only.1234

What happened

Vietnam's government issued Decree 72 in 2013, and it took effect on September 1, 2013, broadly prohibiting Vietnamese bloggers and internet users from linking to or reposting news from press organizations or information from foreign government websites, restricting personal blogs and social media accounts to sharing personal information only. The decree did not specify how global internet companies would be penalized if they refused to cooperate with government orders to identify bloggers who violated it or restrict their posts. A coalition of internet companies, the Asia Internet Coalition, said the decree would negatively affect Vietnam's internet economy and discourage businesses from operating in the country. A Vietnamese Ministry of Information official denied the decree amounted to a ban, saying the government had never stopped people from sharing information or linking to news from other websites.1234

Sustained as of the source reviewed.1234

What reason was given

Stated justification

"We never ban people from sharing information or linking news from websites."1

What changed for reporting

The decree gave authorities a legal basis to treat ordinary sharing or reposting of news articles online as a violation, adding to prosecutions Vietnam had already brought against individual bloggers over their reporting.2

Timeline

2013

September 2013
Vietnam: Decree 72 restricts blogs to personal information

Who acted

NameRole in this incidentOffice at the time
Nguyen Tan DungotherPrime Minister of Vietnam

Sources

  1. Attacks on the Press: Vietnam analysisCommittee to Protect Journalists, 2014-02-12, reporting. Source record
  2. Vietnam rebuffs criticism of 'misunderstood' web decreeReuters, 2013-09-02, reporting. Source record
  3. Vietnam internet restrictions come into effectBBC, 2013-09-01, reporting. Source record

Claims and evidence

Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.

  1. The government's own denial of the decree's effect.We never ban people from sharing information or linking news from websites.Attacks on the Press: Vietnam analysis, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2014-02-12.Claim 555, checked 2026-09-22.
  2. Internet companies' response to the decree.the Decree will negatively affect Vietnam's Internet ecosystem...stifle innovation and discourage businesses from operating in VietnamAttacks on the Press: Vietnam analysis, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2014-02-12.Claim 556, checked 2026-09-22.
  3. The core restriction imposed by the decree.broadly prohibits Vietnamese bloggers and Internet users from linking to or reposting news from press organizations or information from foreign government websites.Attacks on the Press: Vietnam analysis, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2014-02-12.Claim 693, checked 2026-09-22.
  4. Gap in the decree regarding enforcement against platforms.The legislation was not explicit about how global Internet companies would be penalized for refusing to cooperate with official orders to identify or censor bloggersAttacks on the Press: Vietnam analysis, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2014-02-12.Claim 694, checked 2026-09-22.