Why Vietnam's Communists Are Learning to Like Facebook
- Government joins Facebook, used by 30 million Vietnamese
- Leaders risk public criticism ahead of political transition
A side street in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Photographer: Justin Mott/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Vietnam’s Communist government, which once blocked Facebook Inc., is now embracing the online tools of capitalism by establishing its own page on the social media website in order to reach young Internet-savvy users who turn to it for news and discourse.
The page, called simply “Government Information,” caught public attention this week and was set up to ensure Vietnamese netizens are fully informed of Hanoi’s policies, according to the government. Posted on the site are grip-and-grin photos of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung meeting with foreign dignitaries and press releases about government policies and activities. The site, run out of the the prime minister’s office, was set up earlier this month.