On March 27, 2018, fanpages and online services simultaneously reported problems related to apps developed on Facebook and Messenger platforms in Vietnam.

The log-in to the website system via Facebook accounts has been suspended. Relevant apps like Facebook Shop and third-party developed apps using API (application program interface) to collect users’ personal information are not working. 

The chatbot system still works normally with old scripts, but it is interrupted when connecting with new chatbots.

“The apps of Vietnamese developers connecting with Facebook and messengers all have been suspended,” Nguyen Thanh Tung, a programmer who gives support to sales websites in HCM City, said on March 29.

Tung said the features related to user information on websites and apps requiring users to provide personal information have all been affected.

“It has become chaotic and we cannot do anything except wait,” Phan Ha, a seller on Facebook, complained. Her business has been stagnant because the tools to sum up orders and interact with customers cannot be used.

According to Doan Trung Thong from an e-commerce business in Hanoi, online salespeople must use tools for conservation management on Messenger and interact with customers. 

If they cannot use the apps, they have to use the default toolkit of Facebook, which is less effective.

On March 26, 2018, Facebook informed developers using Messenger about the changes related to API and third-party apps. The social network is reconsidering existing API to restrict the volume of data collected from users.

The API reconsideration was followed by the launch of a feature to create personal pages and the removal of the feature after a short time.

Vietnamese Facebook users days ago repeatedly received notices about new personal pages created by their friends. In fact, the feature was provided a long time ago, but it was locked later and reopened some days ago. 

Many users complained about notices which caused inconveniences to them. On March 30, Facebook locked the feature in Vietnam unexpectedly, as it did when launching.

The feature is still being used in other countries.

Facebook is facing problems from the Cambridge Analytica scandal which led to the leakage of personal information of 50 million customers. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologized for the scandal.

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