In early August 2026, social media in Vietnam experienced unprecedented upheaval as Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hang’s live streams on cross-border platforms went viral, attracting millions of views.
Information ranging from the seedy underbelly of “love and money” to a series of allegations targeting former high-ranking leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam quickly became the focus of public attention, despite the fact that the livestreams were repeatedly taken down shortly afterward.
What has piqued the curiosity of international observers and generated extensive media coverage is not only Ms. Hang’s immense appeal but also the somewhat panicked and coordinated response from the police system across all levels—from the central government down to local authorities.
Instead of presenting legal grounds to refute the allegations made by Ms. Nguyen Phuong Hang, local police forces instead issued coordinated warnings of criminal prosecution and banned citizens from sharing or disseminating this “subversive” information.
This hasty and somewhat flustered reaction immediately offended public opinion, while also exposing a paradox in how state power is exercised in Vietnam.
The public wonders: if the allegations made during the livestreams are indeed merely “fabrications and baseless slander,” then why has the Ministry of Public Security—with its extensive investigative resources—chosen to remain silent in order to shield the leaders involved? This is an action that is difficult to…
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
