Several Vietnamese TikTokers are being punished for spreading divisive, offensive content targeting specific regions, highlighting growing concerns about social media abuse.
In recent months, several TikTok users have misused social media to spread misleading views, inflammatory content, and regional slurs in a bid to gain views and engagement.
As a result, many have been fined, and some now face criminal prosecution.
TikToker “Tang Keng Ong Trum” Le Anh Diep indicted
Ho Chi Minh City Police recently indicted Le Anh Diep (30 years old, from Ninh Binh), the owner of the TikTok account “Tang Keng Ong Trum,” on charges of “abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State and the lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals.”
TikToker “Tang Keng Ong Trum” at the police station.
Authorities discovered that Diep had posted multiple videos criticizing charity efforts in northern Vietnam and making offensive, derogatory comments about southern Vietnamese people.
The content was deemed to incite regional division, spark public outrage, and harm national solidarity.
Investigators confirmed that Diep’s actions had a negative impact, distorting the spirit of mutual aid in charitable work and disrupting social order.
“Nhat Hai Biet Tuot” fined for saying “Saigon is perfect for crime”
Screenshot: “Nhat Hai Biet Tuot” TikTok post.
In early April 2024, the Department of Information and Communications in Bac Giang fined the TikToker “Nhat Hai Biet Tuot” for posting a video that declared “Saigon is extremely ideal for criminal activity.”
The video began with the question, “Why are there so many thefts in Saigon?” followed by unrelated footage of an unverified robbery.
The creator went on to mock Saigon’s drinking culture, blaming it for theft and crime.
He concluded with a sweeping generalization: “In Saigon, everyone minds their own business... so it’s the perfect place for criminals.”
The video quickly went viral and sparked a wave of region-shaming comments, drawing fierce criticism from the public.
Hoang Huong’s controversial comments about the Hmong community
Screenshot: Hoang Huong mocked the traditional “men men” dish, calling it “pig feed and a dish to cleanse bad karma.”
In early 2023, Hoang Huong (real name Hoang Thi Huong, born 1987) caused controversy during a livestream in which she insulted the Hmong community in Ha Giang.
She referred to “men men” – a traditional Hmong dish – as “pig feed,” which was met with intense backlash from locals and netizens alike.
In March 2023, the Ha Giang Provincial Police summoned Huong to discuss her offensive remarks.
TikToker fined for insulting people from central Vietnam
Photo: N.H.M at the police station. Source: Lam Dong Police.
In August 2022, authorities in Lam Dong fined N.H.M., the owner of the TikTok account “H.M,” 10 million VND (approximately USD 390) for posting a video that discriminated against central Vietnamese people.
The video garnered over 3.8 million views and featured repeated derogatory remarks, labeling central residents as “stingy, sly, and cunning... which is why the region is underdeveloped.”
The content was also posted on Facebook, further widening its reach and intensifying public anger.
Officials concluded that the video’s content constituted defamation and insulted the collective dignity of central Vietnamese communities, thereby threatening national unity.
Vietnamnet.vn
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