Fines and confiscation of domain names of unlicensed social networking sites

Two social networking sites thugian.com.vn and zunum.vn had their domain names confiscated for providing content that is not suitable for Vietnamese customs and traditions.

The Ministry of Information and Communications has just issued decisions on administrative sanctions against individuals and organizations in the fields of post, telecommunications, information technology and radio frequencies.

Accordingly, Decision No. 957 and 958 imposed administrative sanctions on EBIZ Vietnam Technology and E-commerce Development Joint Stock Company (address 20/460 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho, Hanoi) and AEG Joint Stock Company (850 Duong Lang, Hanoi) for establishing social networks with the domain names thugian.com.vn and zunum.vn without a license.

Website interface thugian.com.vn after the decision to revoke it by the authorities. (Screenshot: VOV.VN)

Both social networks provided content that was not in accordance with Vietnamese customs and traditions. The penalties were confiscation of domain names and fines: EBIZ Vietnam Technology Development and E-commerce Joint Stock Company paid a fine of VND50 million and AEG Joint Stock Company paid a fine of VND55 million.

Decision No. 956 imposes an administrative penalty on Mr. Hoang Ngoc Binh (address in Nam Trung Yen urban area, Cau Giay, Hanoi), who arbitrarily set up the social networking site lamthenaoaz.vn, with a fine of 30 million VND; Decision No. 993 imposes an administrative penalty on Mr. Doan Van Thang (No. 85, Mai Dich, Cau Giay, Hanoi) - who arbitrarily set up the social networking site blogtamsu.vn without a license from the state management agency, with a penalty of 7.5 million VND.

According to VOV.VN