How Vietnam’s ‘influencer’ army wages information warfare on Facebook

A Facebook page of a group called 'Believe in the Party' which was identified by Vietnamese state media as being controlled by 'Force 47' cyber troop. (Reuters)
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Updated 09 July 2021
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How Vietnam’s ‘influencer’ army wages information warfare on Facebook

  • Social media influencer groups in Vietnam, also known as 'Force 47', are an online army tasked with moderating and posting on pro-state Facebook groups.
  • Authorities in Vietnam threatened to shut down Facebook in the country entirely if it did not locally restrict access to more content and increase censorship.

HANOI: In Vietnam, where the state is fighting a fierce online battle against political dissent, social media “influencers” are more likely to be soldiers than celebrities.
Force 47, as the Vietnamese army’s online information warfare unit is known, consists of thousands of soldiers who, in addition to their normal duties, are tasked with setting up, moderating and posting on pro-state Facebook groups, to correct “wrong views” online.
According to a Reuters review of provincial-level state media reports and broadcasts by the army’s official television station, Force 47 has since its inception in 2016 set up hundreds of Facebook groups and pages, and published thousands of pro-government articles and posts.
Social media researchers say the group may be the largest and most sophisticated influence network in Southeast Asia. And it is now playing a prominent role in the country’s intensifying conflict with Facebook.
After being approached by Reuters this week, a Facebook source said the company had removed a group called “E47,” which had mobilized both military and non-military members to report posts they did not like to Facebook in an effort to have them taken down. The source said the group was connected to a list of Force 47 groups identified by Reuters.
A Facebook spokesperson confirmed that some groups and accounts were taken down on Thursday for “coordinating attempts to mass report content.” A company source said the action was one of Facebook’s largest takedowns initiated under its mass reporting policy.
But many of the Force 47 accounts and groups identified by Reuters remain active. Since they are operated by users under their real names, they do not violate Facebook policies, the company source said.
Vietnam’s foreign ministry, which handles enquiries to the government from foreign media, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the takedown.
Unlike in neighboring China, Facebook is not blocked in Vietnam, where it has 60 million to 70 million users. It is Vietnam’s main platform for e-commerce and generates around $1 billion in annual revenue for the company.
It has also become the main platform for political dissent, launching Facebook and the government into a constant tussle over the removal of content deemed to be “anti-state.”
Vietnam has undergone sweeping economic reforms and social change in recent decades, but the ruling Communist Party retains a tight grip over media and tolerates little dissent.
Last year, Vietnam slowed traffic on Facebook’s local servers to a crawl until it agreed to significantly increase the censorship of political content in Vietnam. Months later, authorities threatened to shut down Facebook in Vietnam entirely if it did not locally restrict access to more content.
In a statement to Reuters, a Facebook spokesperson said the company’s goal was to keep its services in Vietnam online “for as many people as possible to express themselves, connect with friends and run their business.”
“We’ve been open and transparent about our decisions in response to the rapid rise in attempts to block our services in Vietnam,” the spokesperson said.
Vietnam does not have the wherewithal to sustain a Chinese-style “Great Firewall” and develop local social media alternatives, said Dien Luong, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
“This has paved the way for Facebook to become the platform of choice for Force 47 to safeguard the party line, shape public opinion and spread state propaganda.”
’SKILLED AND MALICIOUS’
There is no official definition of what constitutes a “wrong view” in Vietnam. But activists, journalists, bloggers and — increasingly — Facebook users, have all received hefty jail terms in recent years for spreading “anti-state propaganda,” or opinions which counter those promoted by the Party.
Last week, Le Van Dung, a prominent activist who regularly broadcasts live to thousands of followers on Facebook, was arrested after more than a month on the run, according to a police statement.
Dung, who goes by “Le Dung Vova” was detained on charges of “making, storing, spreading information, materials and items for the purpose of opposing the state,” under Article 117 of Vietnam’s Penal Code.
He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
Force 47 takes its name from Directive 47, a policy document issued by the army’s General Political Department on Jan. 8, 2016. Analysts say it was created as an alternative to hiring civilian “opinion shapers” — or “du luan vien” — that had operated on a smaller, less successful scale.
“Since the ‘du luan vien’ were not as well trained in Party ideology or as conservative as military officials, their performance was not as good as expected,” said Nguyen The Phuong, a researcher at the Saigon Center for International Studies. “Force 47 is also less costly. Military officials consider it part of their job and don’t ask for an allowance.”
The size of Force 47 is not clear, but in 2017, the general in charge of the unit at the time, Nguyen Trong Nghia, said it had 10,000 “red and competent” members. The true number could be much higher: the Reuters review of known Force 47 Facebook groups showed tens of thousands of users.
The Facebook source said the E47 group it had taken action against was made up of an active membership of military and non-military members.
Nghia now heads the main propaganda arm of the Party. Vietnam’s information ministry recently promulgated a social media code of conduct that closely resembles Force 47 directives, urging people to post about “good deeds” and banning anything that affects “the interests of the state.”

’STRUGGLE ON THE INTERNET’
In March, conferences were held at military bases across Vietnam to mark five years since the creation of Force 47.
State media reports about the meetings named at least 15 Facebook pages and groups it said were controlled by Force 47 which collectively had over 300,000 followers, according to a Reuters analysis of those groups.
Rather than being a single army unit, Force 47 soldiers appear to carry out their activities alongside their usual duties and create locally targeted content, the reports revealed.
In addition to Facebook, Force 47 creates anonymous Gmail and Yahoo email addresses, and accounts on Google’s YouTube and Twitter, according to the reports.
YouTube said it had terminated nine channels on Friday for violating its policies on spam, including a channel identified by Reuters as a suspected Force 47 operation.
Twitter said it had not seen any activity by Force 47.
Many of the Facebook groups reviewed by Reuters played on patriotic sentiments with names such as “I love the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” “Vietnam in my Heart,” “Voice of the Fatherland” and “Believe in the Party.”
Some groups, such as “Keeping company with Force 47” and “Roses of Force 47” were obvious in their affiliation, while others — such as “Pink Lotus” and a few groups that used the names of local towns in their titles — were more subtle.
The posts varied in content, with many extolling Vietnam’s army, founding leader Ho Chi Minh, or Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong. Others showed screenshots of “wrong information” posted by other Facebook users, marked with a large red “X.”
“These developments unfolding in Vietnam are scary and have expanded with impunity,” said Dhevy Sivaprakasam, Asia-Pacific policy counsel at Internet rights group Access Now.
“We are witnessing the creation of a reality where people are not safe to speak freely online, and where there’s no concept of individual privacy.”
(Reporting by James Pearson; Additional reporting by Elizabeth Culliford in New York and Fanny Potkin in Singapore; Editing by Jonathan Weber, Lisa Shumaker and William Mallard)


Media groups condemn arrest of 2 journalists aboard Madleen ship

Updated 10 June 2025
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Media groups condemn arrest of 2 journalists aboard Madleen ship

  • The journalists were identified as Yanis Mhamdi, from the independent media outlet Blast, and Omar Faiad, a reporter for Al Jazeera

LONDON: Media groups have condemned the arrest of two French journalists who were on board the Gaza-bound Madleen ship, which was intercepted by the Israeli military on Monday.

The journalists were identified as Yanis Mhamdi, from the independent media outlet Blast, and Omar Faiad, a reporter for Al Jazeera.

In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists called for the immediate release of journalists who were part of the pro-Palestinian convoy of activists delivering aid to Gaza as a symbolic protest against the ongoing war and to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis.

It urged EU leaders to pressure Israel to “stop all assaults on press freedom and protect journalists.”

Condemning the arrest, Reporters Without Borders said: “Boarding a civilian vessel in international waters to intercept a crew that included two French journalists documenting a peaceful humanitarian initiative is not only illegal, but constitutes a serious violation of international law and press freedom.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the activists and journalists aboard the ship were deported on Tuesday morning from Ben Gurion Airport to their home countries.

“Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation. Consuls from the passengers’ home countries met them at the airport,” the Foreign Ministry posted on X.

The ministry also posted pictures of the renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg on a flight to Sweden following her deportation.


Baseball United and Tokyo Broadcasting System launch reality show to find Japan’s next baseball stars

Updated 10 June 2025
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Baseball United and Tokyo Broadcasting System launch reality show to find Japan’s next baseball stars

  • The national competition, ‘Tryout: Plan D,’ will give hopeful players a chance to compete professionally in the Dubai league

DUBAI: A partnership between Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, and leading Japanese broadcaster Tokyo Broadcast System will give young baseball players a shot at becoming professional stars.

The reality show, “Tryout: Plan D,” will feature hundreds of hopefuls competing for two roster spots on the Mid East Falcons, one of Baseball United’s founding franchises. The winners will play for the Falcons during the inaugural season in Dubai, which begins on Nov. 14.

Participants will compete in several stages of the competition, starting in July and ending in November. Ultimately, one pitcher and one batter will be selected after a series of intense challenges measuring skill, mental toughness, physical fitness and passion for the game.

The partnership will be anchored by TBS’s long running and widely respected show, バース・デイ(“Birthday”), a documentary series that has chronicled the triumphs and struggles of athletes across Japan for the last 20 years.

Airing on Friday nights, it explores its subjects’ personal transformations and emotional journeys. “Tryout” will bring to life a compelling mix of reality television, human interest and competitive action, while providing real opportunities for Japanese baseball prospects.

“Japan is one of the greatest baseball nations in the world,” said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Baseball United.

“Baseball is engrained into the culture, history and future of this country. And we know there are a lot of talented players that just need an opportunity to showcase their ability. ‘Tryout’ is more than just a competition — it’s a celebration of culture, a catalyst of opportunity and a testament (to) resilience. We are honored to collaborate with TBS and the legendary ‘Birthday’ team to bring this vision to life.”

Tryout will begin airing on TBS in July, with behind-the-scenes content and exclusive footage shared across Baseball United’s global channels. The two winners will be officially introduced as members of the Mid East Falcons before the team’s game against the Karachi Monarchs on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

“Our program バース・デイ has always sought to showcase the untold stories behind athletic greatness,” said show producer Hidemitsu Takahashi.

“Partnering with Baseball United allows us to elevate that mission by offering young Japanese players the opportunity of a lifetime — to transform their lives through sport, and to do so on a truly international platform. We can’t wait to have our two winners take the field in Dubai.”

Baseball United was co-founded by Shaikh, John Miedreich, and MLB Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Mariano Rivera in November 2022. Its ownership group now includes 20 MLB legends, including Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre and stars Felix Hernandez, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Ronald Acuna Jr., Robinson Chirinos, and Matt Barnes. The league currently has four franchises, the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons, who will all compete in the league’s first season from Nov. 14-Dec. 14. All games will be played at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai.


ABC News suspends journalist who called Trump, top aide ‘world-class’ haters

Updated 09 June 2025
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ABC News suspends journalist who called Trump, top aide ‘world-class’ haters

  • Terry Moran wrote that Stephen Miller’s ‘hatreds are his spiritual nourishment’

LONDON: ABC News has suspended one of its senior national correspondents after he published a series of now-deleted social media posts in which he described US President Donald Trump and top adviser Stephen Miller as “world-class haters.”

Veteran journalist Terry Moran, who recently interviewed Trump, wrote in the posts that both the president and the White House deputy chief of staff — known as the architect of the administration’s mass deportation policy — were driven by deep animosity toward their political opponents.

An ABC News spokesperson, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed Moran’s suspension “pending further evaluation,” and said the network “stands for objectivity and impartiality in its news coverage and does not condone subjective personal attacks on others.”

The spokesperson added: “The post does not reflect the views of ABC News and violated our standards.”

Moran claimed in the tweets that Miller “is not the brains behind” Trumpism, but rather someone who channels its “impulses” into policy through sheer malice.

He wrote: “It’s not brains. It’s bile. Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. He’s a world-class hater.”

Moran added: “You can see that his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. He eats his hate.”

Turning to Trump, Moran wrote: “Trump is a world-class hater. But his hatred (is) only a means to an end, and that end (is) his own glorification.”

The posts sparked a backlash from conservative figures and further deepened tensions between ABC News, owned by The Walt Disney Company, and Trump’s allies.

The network last year agreed to pay $16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Trump over comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos, in what was seen as a rare concession by a major broadcaster.

Reacting to Moran’s comments, Vice President JD Vance called them a “vile smear,” and added: “It’s dripping with hatred.”

Miller also responded, saying: “The most important fact about Terry’s full public meltdown is what it shows about the corporate press in America. For decades, the privileged anchors and reporters narrating and gatekeeping our society have been radicals adopting a journalist’s pose. Terry pulled off his mask.”

Moran’s posts came as the Trump administration, reportedly under Miller’s strategic direction, ramped up rhetoric around immigration and called for expanded deportation efforts.

Raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in recent weeks across major US cities, including Los Angeles, have reignited public protests. Some demonstrations outside the federal building in downtown LA have turned violent amid unconfirmed reports that detainees were being held inside.

ABC News has not announced when or whether Moran will return to the network.


Nike cuts ties with Australian brand ambassador over pro-Palestinian posts

Updated 09 June 2025
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Nike cuts ties with Australian brand ambassador over pro-Palestinian posts

  • Activist and runner Grace Tame dropped after sportswear giant’s review into her social media posts
  • Tame recently sparked a backlash after resharing posts calling the killing of two Israeli aides in Washington ‘not an antisemitic attack but a response to Israeli aggression in Gaza’

LONDON: Nike has ended its partnership with Australian brand ambassador Grace Tame after the activist shared several pro-Palestinian posts on social media.

Tame, a long-distance runner and high-profile advocate for survivors of sexual assault, had used her platform in recent months to speak out against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, describing it as “genocide” and calling for a ceasefire.

The American sportswear giant confirmed the decision over the weekend, following growing speculation after it launched a review of Tame’s public statements.

A Nike spokesperson said on Friday: “We’ve agreed to part ways. We wish Grace the best as she continues her running journey.”

Tame signed a $100,000 ambassadorial deal with Nike in January, marking a return to the brand after a previous collaboration four years ago.

Since the start of the conflict in Gaza in October 2023, Tame has shared posts and attended events expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

In November, she signed a global ceasefire petition organized by Oxfam. In May, she gave a speech at an event hosted by the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network, where she said: “Empathy should have no boundaries.”

Tame also revealed she had been asked not to speak about the war at other public engagements.

Her increasingly vocal advocacy drew criticism from pro-Israel commentators in Australia, some of whom accused her of sharing inflammatory and antisemitic content.

In May, Tame reposted a statement from Palestinian writer Mohammed El-Kurd criticizing Western media coverage of the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy aides in Washington.

She quoted the post, which argued the incident was a direct response to Israel’s assault on Gaza, rather than a random antisemitic attack.

“Even though it was undeniably, and by the alleged shooter’s own admission, a response to the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, which killed one hundred and seven Palestinians in the last 24 hours alone,” she reposted to her 260,000 followers.

Tame, no stranger to controversy, has long been a divisive figure in Australian public life.

Earlier this year, she appeared at a public event with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wearing a T-shirt that read “F**k Murdoch,” a jab at media mogul Rupert Murdoch. In the accompanying Instagram caption, she criticized what she called “dynastically wealthy white supremacist corporate oligarchs ruining our planet, funding genocide, war, and destruction.”

In response, Murdoch-owned The Australian accused her of being fixated on Israel and wrote that Nike’s “face-saving statement of a mutual separation with Tame is arguably misplaced in its generosity.”

The newspaper also noted that all Nike stores in Australia are operated by Fox Group, an Israeli company listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, adding another layer to the fallout.


UK to boost ‘homegrown talent’ in new AI skills drive

Updated 09 June 2025
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UK to boost ‘homegrown talent’ in new AI skills drive

  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to boost “homegrown talent for the AI age” by teaming up with tech giants to train 7.5 million workers in artificial intelligence skills

LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to boost “homegrown talent for the AI age” by teaming up with tech giants to train 7.5 million workers in artificial intelligence skills.
Speaking at the start of London’s Tech Week, with a line-up of speakers including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Starmer said: “In this global race, we can be an AI maker and not an AI taker.”
Starmer was due to have a one-on-one conversation with the chief of the star Silicon Valley semiconductor firm whose chips are critical for artificial intelligence applications and research.
Ahead of the event bringing together industry giants, Starmer announced a government-industry partnership to train 7.5 million workers in AI skills, including in using chatbots and large language models to boost productivity.
Tech firms including Nvidia, Google, Microsoft and Amazon committed to make training materials freely available to businesses over the next five years.
Google EMEA region President Debbie Weinstein called it a “crucial initiative” essential for developing AI skills, unlocking AI-powered growth “and cementing the UK’s position as an AI leader.”
In his opening speech, Starmer said Britain must build “the digital infrastructure that we need to make sure AI improves our public services.”
The UK has a “responsibility” to “harness this unprecedented opportunity and to use it to improve the lives of working people,” Starmer added.
“We are going to build more homes, more labs, more data centers, and we’re going to do it much, much more quickly.”


His government has pledged to fire up the UK’s flagging economy, including with “pro-growth” AI regulations to attract tech investment and turn Britain into an “AI superpower.”
“We are putting the power of AI into the hands of the next generation — so they can shape the future, not be shaped by it,” Starmer said in a press release before the event.
The British leader unveiled £187 million ($253 million) in funding to help develop tech abilities including training for one million secondary school students, as part of its “TechFirst” program.
He called it a “step change in how we train homegrown talent for the AI age.”
The investment will “embed AI right through our education system,” he said, announcing nearly £150 million in undergraduate and PhD research scholarships in AI and tech.
Starmer also announced a “commitment from Nvidia to partner on a new AI talent pipeline,” including through expanding a Nvidia lab in Bristol, southwest England.
The UK’s AI sector is valued at £72 billion, employing over 64,000 people, and is projected to exceed £800 billion by 2035.
It was growing 30 times faster than the rest of the economy, according to government figures from 2023 — an “incredible” rate, according to Starmer.
Other speakers at the tech conference include the CEO of Mistral AI, Arthur Mensch, the UK’s Science Secretary Peter Kyle and Markus Villig, founder of ride-hailing app Bolt.