Vietnam’s government has started cracking down hard on what it calls fake news, and the result is a big jump in people signing up for VPNs.
New rules, big fines
From 1 July 2026, fresh decrees let officials fine social media users who share content the state decides is false or misleading. Penalties range from 20–50 million VND (roughly £630–£1,580), depending on how serious the post is judged to be. The rules cover everything from criticising state bodies to “undermining national unity” — terms that are worryingly vague.
Sign-ups for Proton VPN jumped 150 % above normal within days of the first reported fine hitting the news.
Other factors adding to the pressure
- A controversial book about Hồ Chí Minh led to arrests under anti-state propaganda laws.
- Roblox’s local version launched with heavy restrictions and even blocks attempts to bypass them with a VPN.
Why this matters for privacy
When governments tighten control over what people can say online, many turn to a VPN to keep their browsing private and access uncensored information. We’ve seen similar spikes before when new restrictions appear.
If you’re looking at VPN options yourself, check out our latest comparisons.
