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While Nguyễn Thành Nam was recently prosecuted over a book with a print run of 9,700 copies, Chu Ngọc Quang Vinh faced a fierce public denunciation campaign for a post of fewer than 300 words. Although the post was shared privately and visible to only 16 “close friends,” [1] Vinh’s personal political reflections escaped that circle in less than a day.

The leaked post spread rapidly across social media, triggering severe backlash and prompting police involvement. Many people harshly branded the young man “ungrateful” and a “traitor.”

Amid this current climate of online denunciation campaigns , a review of the full sequence of events surrounding the attacks directed at Vinh by state media and netizens nearly two years ago reveals the severe consequences of candidly expressing a personal perspective. [2]

“The Party and Me”

In early September 2024, an online denunciation campaign targeted Chu Ngọc Quang Vinh, a student at Nguyễn Tất Thành High School for the Gifted in Yên Bái. Vinh had previously gained public attention by winning the weekly and monthly rounds of the 24th season of the television quiz show Đường lên đỉnh Olympia in 2023. [3] The backlash began after he shared his personal views about the Communist Party.

On the evening of Sept. 1, 2024, he published a post titled “The Party and Me” to a restricted audience on his personal account, making it visible to only 16 close friends. [4] Although the post was quickly deleted that same night, it read as follows (explanations added in brackets):

“The Party and Me

"The end of middle school was when my exposure to Western culture reached its peak. Gradually, I discovered that what I had long been taught at school was not entirely true. I saw the Party as an evil force that did nothing but deceive the people, and I looked for every possible way to live abroad in the future.

“Then I studied for Olympia so I could ‘live abroad,’ and whether I wanted to or not, competing meant I still had to learn history from the Party’s perspective. The Party then gave me many things because of my achievements, so I gradually began to view it more neutrally.

"—Then my O [Olympia] dream came to an end. I did not know what to do next, but when I looked back at what I had here, I thought Việt Nam was not so bad. I would ignore the Party and focus on myself.

"—Now I want to leave Việt Nam again. I will probably never be able to see the Party positively, even though I once tried at least to ‘ignore’ it. The people in the country where I was born have chosen the status quo [the current system], so if I do not support it, I will leave.

“Anyways [incidentally], tomorrow is National Day. I wish for Việt Nam to continue developing in every respect, regardless of its political system, because Việt Nam will always be my homeland.”

A National Day of Denunciation

Within a day of its sharing, Quang Vinh's post drew widespread attention and ignited a fierce debate across social media.

On the morning of Sept. 2, 2024, the Facebook page Đơn vị Tác Chiến Điện Tử (Comrade Commissar)—commonly known as ComCom—published a screenshot of his post alongside a sharp critique:

“If you want to go abroad, then go—on your own merit. The Party and the state did not stop you from leaving on the strength of your abilities, nor did they force you to stay. So now that you cannot make it out into the wider world, why are you blaming the Party, Vinh? […] Talented but without virtue — and ungrateful as well. It is hard to know how you should even be classified.” [5]

As of July 17, 2026, the ComCom post had amassed more than 7,100 reactions and over 2,500 comments. Among them, an account named Hiếu Vũ garnered over 400 likes for writing:

“Your act of self-destruction has reached the center of the Earth. Wouldn’t it be better to prove yourself by helping build the country and supporting your family? You achieved a little and already thought you were the best. After this, wherever you go, no one will miss you or regret seeing you leave.”

Tifosi, known for pro-government content, criticized Vinh by stating:

“[…] Some young people are educated and become successful in this country, acquire a little ability, then study abroad or become infected with foreign ideas before turning around and mocking their homeland.” (This post can no longer be found on Tifosi’s page.)

Meanwhile, the page Tôi Yêu Việt Nam, boasting nearly 300,000 followers as of July 17, 2026, published a post titled: “Chu Ngọc Quang Vinh Is Ungrateful to the Fatherland. The Đường lên đỉnh Olympia Competition Must Be Reviewed!” [6] Alongside a defaced image of Vinh receiving his Olympia award, the page claimed:

“This male student cares only about himself and the illusory benefits offered by the supposed ‘paradise’ of distant Western countries. […] His status update also contains much insolent language, showing ingratitude toward the country, the Party, and the very homeland where he was born.”

The post drew over 1,000 reactions, overwhelmingly critical of the student.

The denunciation campaign soon extended beyond social media and into state-affiliated press. On Sept. 2, Công Thương , a newspaper affiliated with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, published an article stating:

“Q.V. should remember that without the immense sacrifice of blood and bone by our ancestors and without the Communist Party of Việt Nam—founded and led by President Hồ Chí Minh—how could we have achieved peace, independence, and freedom or built the beautiful and prosperous country we have today?” [8]

The following day, Sept. 3, the Ministry of Justice-affiliated newspaper Pháp Luật published an article titled “A Warning to Young People After Chu Vinh’s Ungrateful Remarks.” [7] Author Nhật Thanh wrote:

“This incident is not only a lesson for male student Chu Ngọc Quang Vinh but also a reminder to society as a whole of the need to properly guide, educate, and supervise the younger generation on gratitude, responsibility, and respect for their homeland and country. It is also an important lesson for young people in the use of modern media.”

Faced with mounting pressure, Quang Vinh posted an apology on his personal Facebook account on Sept. 2:

“When I made those statements, I truly did not understand the consequences or realize that my words would disappoint and anger so many people.” [9]

He elaborated on the personal toll of the backlash, stating:

“I have also read hurtful and untrue statements about me. As a minor, reading such words has made me feel deeply hurt and personally attacked.”

Vinh also affirmed:

“I have never held extremist views, nor have I ever intended — and I never will intend — to cooperate or communicate with foreign organizations to harm the interests of the nation.”

Despite the apology, the criticism persisted. As one account noted :

“You published a post called ‘The Party and Me.’ But when you apologized, you apologized to everyone without saying a single word of apology to the Party.” [10]

Authorities Fuel the Denunciation Campaign

On Sept. 2, the Yên Bái Department of Education and Training released Official Dispatch No. 317, ordering Nguyễn Tất Thành High School for the Gifted to file an urgent report. The directive also required school officials to meet with Quang Vinh’s family and to coordinate directly with local police. [11]

By Sept. 3, Yên Bái provincial police had summoned the student to the Yên Thịnh Ward police station for a formal “working session,” requiring the presence of his mother and homeroom teacher. [12]

Following the session, the police announced they had “provided a clear explanation so that Chu Vinh could properly understand the Party, the state, and the nation’s history and persuaded the student to clarify the issue and reconsider his understanding of the matters above.”

The authorities further claimed that Quang Vinh had “recognized that his conduct violated the law, but that his limited understanding had led him to engage in such conduct.”

The police agency completely failed to specify which law the student had allegedly broken.

Author’s Commentary

Nearly two years later, social realities in Việt Nam demonstrate that the denunciation campaign against Chu Ngọc Quang Vinh was neither isolated nor unexpected. Public denunciation has seemingly become a customary mode of behavior within Vietnamese political and social life. Whenever an opinion challenges the official narrative or appears even slightly unfamiliar, authorities are primed to launch a new denunciation campaign.

These campaigns are becoming increasingly damaging and are attracting widespread participation, blurring the line between expressing a personal opinion and facing accusations of “sabotaging” the government or being “reactionary.” With each passing day, more individuals are publicly named and ostracized. As recent cases have demonstrated, it is impossible to predict when an online campaign might escalate into a real criminal sentence.

Quang Vinh’s story may have established a new line that young people no longer dare to cross. Out of fear of becoming the next target of a denunciation campaign, many may now avoid expressing personal views on political issues altogether.

Hoàng Lam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on July 17, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine owns the copyright for this English translation.

References: +

Trịnh Hữu Long. “Nguyễn Thành Nam Arrested June 27, 10 Days Before VTV’s Official Report.” The Vietnamese Magazine , July 18, 2026. https://thevietnamese.org/2026/07/nguyen-thanh-nam-arrested-june-27-10-days-before-vtvs-official-report/ .

Thành Phương. “More People Face Public Denunciation as Police Expand Investigation Into Nguyễn Thành Nam Case.” Luật Khoa Magazine , July 8, 2026. https://luatkhoa.net/2026/07/nhieu-nguoi-tiep-tuc-bi-dau-to-cong-an-mo-rong-dieu-tra-vu-nguyen-thanh-nam/ .

Kha, T. “First Male Student Qualifies for the First-Quarter Competition of Đường lên đỉnh Olympia 24.” Tiền Phong Online , November 6, 2023. https://tienphong.vn/nam-sinh-dau-tien-gianh-ve-thi-quy-i-duong-len-dinh-olympia-24-post1584557.tpo .

Anh, M. “Yên Bái Provincial Police Provide Information About Student Who Posted Inappropriate Content on Social Media.” People’s Public Security Online , September 3, 2024. https://cand.vn/cong-an-tinh-yen-bai-thong-tin-ve-hoc-sinh-viet-bai-co-noi-dung-chua-phu-hop-tren-mang-xa-hoi-post742459.html .

Đơn vị Tác Chiến Điện Tử Comrade Commissar. Facebook post. 2026. https://www.facebook.com/WarCommissar/posts/pfbid0Yg4Y3EhwQwy2dWY2GNqSrc7w6U1FScJUVYLdSRo46KBiy9wg2Lta2KdUWuQQ9NXXl .

Tôi Yêu Việt Nam. “Chu Ngọc Quang Vinh Is Ungrateful to the Fatherland … The Đường lên đỉnh Olympia Competition Must Be Reviewed!” Facebook post. 2026. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02Ypgsp2RyKX887ETpzQHVq2ZVHdRFDdcKbqqa2vY6YAfPgGYxbftaaQ57cr1Pt7hUl&id=100066616718413 .

Thanh, N. “A Warning to Young People After Chu Vinh’s Ungrateful Remarks.” Việt Nam Law Newspaper , September 3, 2024. https://baophapluat.vn/canh-bao-nguoi-tre-sau-phat-ngon-vo-on-cua-chu-vinh-post523819.html .

An, B. “ Đường lên đỉnh Olympia Contestant Sparks Outrage With His Remarks.” Industry and Trade Newspaper , September 2, 2024. https://congthuong.vn/nam-sinh-duong-len-dinh-olympia-phat-ngon-gay-phan-no-342956.html .

Hóng Đường Phố. Facebook group post. 2026. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1446289966027316/posts/1458538384802474/ .

Bí Mật Showbiz Group. Facebook group post. 2026. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1992548960760601/?multi_permalinks=9140661829282576&hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen .

Sơn, N. T. “Yên Bái Provides Information About Facebook Post by Former Đường lên đỉnh Olympia Contestant.” Nhân Dân Online , September 3, 2024. https://nhandan.vn/yen-bai-thong-tin-ve-bai-viet-tren-facebook-cua-hoc-sinh-tung-thi-duong-len-dinh-olympia-post828254.html .

Anh, M. “Yên Bái Provincial Police Provide Information About Student Who Posted Inappropriate Content on Social Media.” People’s Public Security Online , September 3, 2024. https://cand.vn/cong-an-tinh-yen-bai-thong-tin-ve-hoc-sinh-viet-bai-co-noi-dung-chua-phu-hop-tren-mang-xa-hoi-post742459.html .