Speaking to VietNamNet on April 9, the publisher confirmed it is coordinating with its partners and the authors to review the issue following media reports.

Preliminary findings suggest that the website originally included in the book served its intended educational purpose. However, the link has since been redirected to content deemed unsuitable for a school environment.

Authorities step in to investigate

The publisher has reported the case to the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention under the Ministry of Public Security, while also working with relevant agencies to address the issue promptly.

The problem was first identified by parents, who noticed that an exercise on page 59 instructed students to use Google Chrome to visit a specific website to practice scrolling functions. Instead of educational content, users were redirected to a site containing material inappropriate for primary school students.

Website believed to have been compromised

Nguyen Tuong Tri, chief editor of the workbook, stated that at the time of writing, the website was an open resource offering child-friendly content such as animated videos and traditional games.

“We have not rechecked the site recently. It is possible that the website was interfered with and its content altered in an inappropriate direction. This situation was beyond the authors’ expectations,” he said.

Third-party takeover suspected

On April 10, Nguyen Xuan Huy, Chief of Office at Hue University, said the institution is working with authorities to clarify the incident.

According to Huy, the website functioned normally when first included in the book in 2022, but was later taken over by a third party, leading to the unexpected change in content.

Following the discovery, Hue University directed the publisher to conduct a review, while the Internal Political Security Division (PA03) under Hue City Police launched an investigation. The case has also been reported to the Ministry of Public Security for further handling.

Rising concerns over digital safety in education

The incident has raised broader concerns about the risks associated with embedding external links in educational materials, especially for young students.

Authorities are continuing to trace the origin of the compromised link as part of efforts to ensure a safer digital learning environment.

Thuy Nga-Le Bang