The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) of Việt Nam decided to sweep the “Con ghét bố mẹ” (Children Who Hate Their Parents) group off Facebook, a move that was both familiar and strange. [1] While heavy-handed, prohibitive behavior is an expected part of the police’s nature, it is unusual to see the MPS’s reach extend into non-political spaces designed for young people to express themselves. 

Behind this heavy-handed conduct of a police state lie well-worn habits and ways of thinking that have shaped the mindset of the entire system.