Job Discussion Forums

[CThomas]

I appreciate any comments to my thread on this subject, but it's important to get some solid facts here as best we can.


A note is circulating that Vietnam is banning Facebook (FB). I've heard some spotty reports confirming these and one dis-confirming it. It will be helpful to a lot of people (a good 200 + people, if the view count on that thread is accurate) if you can respond to the poll.

[inky]

You are assuming that the view count on that thread reflects a large number of people who are in Vietnam. It doesn't. Yes, you can access FB in Vietnam, I've seen a dozen people log on in the last 48 hours of this horrible crisis. It's an urban myth, there was no dead mouse in your Big Mac.

[sg9015]

As you can see, it was on a list.

My Vietnamese is non existant at present so I'm not sure exactly what it says. I believe that the other sites are blocked. I have no intention of accessing them as I'd like to stay in Vietnam a little longer.

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs261.snc1/8818_160316035405_645425405_4057599_2064218_n.jpg

[inky]

"... so I'm not sure exactly what it says."
But you have decided to believe it anyway.

[sg9015]

Is it going to be one of those threads where I have to point out the obvious?

I can't read Vietnamese, so guess what, I don't know exactly what it says.

BUT, a person who speaks Vietnamese and happens to be Vietnamese and is an IT manager for a certain company told me that it was a banned website list that had been circulated by the government.

It would be slightly arrogant of me to think otherwise and disbelieve him. What is in it for him to lie to me and make Facebook inaccessible for a day?

But Inky, if you don't want to believe it then that's your perrogative. I'm purely passing on my experience and knowledge on this particular subject. Maybe it is interesting to some who don't seem to have made their mind up that it was some sort of urban myth that has evolved over the last 3 days.

[CThomas]

[Tanker]

Facebook is banned, at least where I live.

I even tried a proxy and it was blocked and jammed when I tried to send PM.

I have talked with my students and local administrators, also.

FB is banned, as of now. If you can access FB enjoy your time while you can.

[sg9015]

Also, has anyone else had problems accessing Youtube? At home it just hangs forever. At work it is fine so it might be one of those ISP issues again.

I don't know why they would take down Facebook and not Youtube and Twitter.

[shanewarne]

taken from a CNN ireport;

On 27, August, 2009, Vietnam�s Ministry of Public Security sent out an official dispatch to prominent internet providers in Vietnam, ordering them to halt their users� access to 8 websites, including facebook.com. And starting yesterday, two out of ten providers who received the note, namely FPT and Viettel, have started enacting the correspondence. The reason behind this order is explicitly stated in the dispatch: �For security reasons and to fight against propagative activities that oppose the Party and the government, Department of Professional Technology � Office of Security Administration � Ministry of Public Security suggests that the addressed companies to apply technical methods to block thoroughly these following websites.�

This act of political censorship clearly manifest the government�s recognition of the threat posed by Facebook, specifically its power to communicate and publicize. Although Vietnamese internet users have already found back doors to access Facebook by changing DNS information from browser or using another proxy, nevertheless, the Vietnamese government still achieves its ultimate goal: to arrest the spread of "malicious" information.

I was wondering if the government has considered Facebook�s benefits, such as uniting people, communicating, sharing knowledge or allowing a playground for creativity, etc. And doesn't this act also mean intentionally pulling Vietnam out of the world's moving forward motion? The best line to sum up my point is a quote of George Shaw: "Consequently the first condition of progress is the removal of censorship

[snollygoster]

Could access it yeterday- Today can't.

[sg9015]

I've still got access today. I'm with SPT. Which ISP are you using?

[Green Acres]

The censorship is being enforced by service providers, so some have acted quickly on the policy, while others are still lagging. Perhaps the outrage from the public will make the government open the policy again, and that is what some servers may be waiting for before they ban an otherwise popular site. I don't understand why some people don't believe others when they take the time to post on this thread. This has always been a good source of reliable information, which is something we all desire. I have heard from several of my friends that it is indeed blocked -- and yet some are still able to use the application. This is due to the fact that not all service providers have blocked it. As well, there will be new technologies available that allow you to "crack" the block. Thank goodness for crack! (Will Ferrel in Talladega nights, "...I want to be a good crack dealer, you know, like just walk up to some people and say, 'hey you want some crack.'")

[mark_in_saigon]

My contact in HN has not been able to for several days, she did not know why, all her normal stuff is working but not facebook.

[sg9015]

I work as a volunteer for a children's charity in Saigon and we actively promote the work of the charity through Facebook. It works incredibly well for us and consequently under-privileged kids in Vietnam.

This morning, Facebook was off at work. So, in order to administer the group account, it has to be done elsewhere.

Yet, Twitter and Youtube were still accessible. Everybody knows that any political activism is pushed through those websites. You look for any Vietnamese political groups and I didn't find any that had more than 50 members. Not exactly the Revolution is it?

It is such a shame if they go down this route of censorship as it will turn away foreign investment. I know it is only Facebook but it is more what the action represents. I'm not sure that I want to be living in a society that has such censorship and I'm seriously thinking about the implications this has for my family here.

[deessell2]