On June 23, 2025, at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Lillestrøm, Norway, Trần Quỳnh Vi, representative of Legal Initiatives for Vietnam (LIV), presented the organization’s latest findings on Facebook’s human rights impacts in Vietnam. The report was unveiled at a closed-door side event titled “Mission: Accountability – A CLARITI Operation,” hosted by ARTICLE 19 Asia Pacific.
The event, held at the Scandic Hotel and attended by civil society leaders, diplomats, donors, and journalists, showcased new insights from the Engaging Tech for Internet Freedom (ETIF) initiative. The initiative supports community-led efforts to hold tech companies accountable for their role in authoritarian and high-risk environments.
LIV’s presentation focused on Facebook’s operations in Việt Nam, using the CLARITI methodology—Community-led Assessment of Rights Impacts in the Tech Industry—which applies the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to evaluate corporate conduct.
The report spotlights how the platform’s content moderation policies and its cooperation with the Vietnamese government contribute to the suppression of freedom of expression, especially targeting dissidents, journalists, and civil society groups. “We’re seeing how Facebook’s compliance with local censorship demands has real-world consequences for freedom of speech in Việt Nam,” Trần stated. “This report brings evidence from the ground—what Vietnamese users are experiencing every day.”
Alongside LIV, Human Rights in China (HRIC) presented a parallel assessment of X (formerly Twitter), and investigative journalist Cape Diamond shared findings on the ICT sector’s involvement in human rights violations in Myanmar. Together, these reports mapped a grim picture of digital repression in some of Asia’s most tightly controlled information environments.
The panel, facilitated under Chatham House Rule by Svetlana Zens of ARTICLE 19, emphasized the need for increased transparency and accountability from tech companies operating in restrictive regimes. Civil society actors urged for stronger due diligence, consistent human rights reporting, and more meaningful engagement with local communities.
Việt Nam’s growing crackdown on online dissent has intensified in recent years, with international tech firms caught in the crosshairs. LIV’s research aims to contribute to a broader push for platform accountability and global standards that prioritize user rights over authoritarian demands.
As Việt Nam deepens its digital integration while expanding its global partnerships, events like this side panel remind stakeholders of the human cost behind algorithmic decisions and content takedowns. For LIV, the mission remains clear: to defend free expression—both offline and online—in one of the region’s most repressive digital landscapes.