NPR

To The Dismay Of Free Speech Advocates, Vietnam Rolls Out Controversial Cyber Law

The law requires internet companies to store locals' data in Vietnam and hand over user information if the government asks for it, among other contentious provisions.
Men use tablets and laptops to check news over wifi at a coffee shop in Hanoi in 2014. Today almost half of Vietnam's population of over 95 million have access to Internet. A new and controversial cybersecurity law goes into effect nationwide Jan. 1, 2019.

A new cybersecurity law has gone into effect in Vietnam that puts stringent controls on tech companies operating inside the country and censors what its citizens read online.

The decree, by the National Assembly in June 2018, requires companies such as Facebook and Google to open offices in Vietnam, store local

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Hobbyist Photographer Snaps Photo Of Extremely Rare Bird In 1st U.S. Sighting
Michael Sanchez was testing out his new camera when he happened upon a feathered subject. The blue rock-thrush he photographed on the coast of northern Oregon last week has excited the birding world.
NPR7 min read
She Survived The 1970 Kent State Shooting. Here's Her Message To Student Activists
On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard fired on Kent State students, killing four and wounding nine. A former student who now teaches there reflects on that day and offers lessons for protesters now.
NPR4 min read
'Hacks' Season 3 Is Proof That Compelling Storylines And Character Growth Take Time
Ava (Hannah Einbinder) and Deborah (Jean Smart) have both grown a lot since we first met them in Season 1. It's a reminder that shows need breathing room to achieve satisfying development.

Related Books & Audiobooks