The Latest: On May 4, the Internal Political Security Division of the Nghệ An Provincial Police summoned a local Facebook account owner for questioning after the individual posted a personal opinion online comparing the local Hồ Chí Minh Square to a private urban development project.
The Details: After the social media post spread widely and attracted mixed reactions, Nghệ An Provincial Police “invited” the account owner to their headquarters to work with authorities.
The summons was triggered by a post where the individual stated, “Ever since Eco appeared, the square has become just a name :).”
The user further commented that “after so many years, our province still hasn’t changed. Year after year, it remains rustic and unsophisticated. Meanwhile, a single real estate developer has far more aesthetic taste. That’s why people are flocking to Ecopark instead of this square like they used to.”
During the working session, the individual explained that the post was intended merely to compare landscapes and to support the promotion and marketing of real estate products in the mentioned urban area.
Currently, the police have stated that they are continuing to compile a case file to consider “handling” the individual in accordance with regulations.
Authorities have not publicly specified which exact regulation the person allegedly violated, nor what form of punishment they may face.
The Background: In recent years, many social media users in Việt Nam have found themselves being “invited to work” with authorities or being “handled” over online content that the government deems inappropriate, inaccurate, or controversial on cyberspace platforms.
Thạch Hãn wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on May 6, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights of the English translation.
