- By SaviourVPN
- May 26, 2025
Table of Contents
Breaking news – Vietnam has banned the use of Telegram over concerns regarding unregulated communication and rising to digital conflict in freedom of expression. For those who aren’t aware – Telegram is one of the most widely used message apps and social platforms used by people all globally. Many Vietnamese users have reported that they cannot use Telegram in Vietnam without a VPN connection.
Who Inflicted the Telegram Ban?
There is no official statement from the Vietnamese government regarding the ban on Telegram in the country. However, many free speech advocates, and tech watchdogs have suggested that banning Telegram is an attempt to control the freedom of speech and expression since Telegram is mostly used by independent journalists, student protest groups, and communities discussing the political reform conversations while bypassing the government monitoring.
Telegram’s ban has also led to more surveillance of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms to control freedom of speech. Vietnamese Telegram users have been saying that since Telegram has high-quality encryption that the authorities cannot monitor, it has been banned.
Access Restricted on Major ISPs
Local Vietnamese users have confirmed that they have lost access to Telegram and it has been banned by many Internet Service Providers in Vietnam including VNPT and Viettel. Users have been facing a lag and loading error even on their 4G connections.
The ban has affected:
- Telegram’sTelegram’s mobile and desktop applications.
- Web-based Telegram services.
- Telegram APIs in Vietnam.
People have not been able to connect to Telegram for more than 24 hours now. However, VPN users can still access Telegram despite the ban.
Vietnam’s Internet Freedom Is Undoubtedly Diminishing
Vietnam has always been tight on the freedom of speech. Since a few years, Vietnam has been putting pressure on foreign companies to comply with local data laws to increase the content monitoring and discourage the freedom of speech in the country.
With Telegram joining the list of banned platforms in Vietnam, it is sure that Vietnam’sVietnam’s internet freedom is decreasing by the hour. It is now more difficult for Vietnamese to express their opinions without the fear of being monitored by the higher authorities.
Vietnamese Users Turns to VPNs for Telegram Access
Vietnam has already blocked Facebook, Twitter and now Telegram in the country which has forced the users to turn to VPNs to access these platforms. VPN allows users to cloak their original IP address and locations with a new artificial one and get access to blocked websites and applications, worldwide.
If you’re in Vietnam and can’t access Telegram and other blocked websites, here’s how you can regain access with SaviourVPN.
All you have to do is follow a few simple steps to regain access to Telegram in Vietnam.
- Sign up for SaviourVPN.
- Download the SaviourVPN app on your device.
- Connect to a close VPN server like Singapore or Japan for the fastest speed.
- Open the Telegram app and log in.
Vietnam’s Control on Freedom of Speech
With the blocking of another social platform, it is true that the authorities in Vietnam are trying to silence the people and control narratives in the country, which is not healthy for the citizens.
However, freedom of expression is a basic right for every human in the world. Vietnamese users will keep using VPNs to access such blocked websites and keep expressing themselves regardless of the circumstances.
