On October 17, 2025, authorities in Thanh Hoa Province made headlines with the temporary detention of two social media administrators, Lê Đăng Đức and Nguyễn Văn Khánh, over allegations of spreading false information on several popular Facebook fanpages. The case, which has rapidly become a talking point across Vietnam, shines a bright light on the growing influence—and responsibility—of online platforms in shaping public opinion.
According to reports from Người lao động and VnExpress, the two men, aged 33 and 24 respectively, were placed under criminal detention for their roles as admins of the Facebook pages "Beat 36 Thanh Hóa," "Beat Thanh Hóa," and "Hóng 36 Thanh Hóa." These pages, each boasting tens of thousands of followers, are well-known for posting real-time updates and news about Thanh Hoa and other regions, often sparking lively debates and drawing thousands of daily interactions.
The controversy began on the afternoon of October 11, when a member of a flood relief team from Đắk Lắk Province livestreamed a video on social media. The video, recorded on the Bắc Nam highway section running through Thanh Hoa, described a tense encounter: the owner of a car with a Thanh Hoa license plate allegedly demanded a whopping 100 million VND (approximately $4,000) in compensation after a traffic accident, purportedly to cover repair costs. The livestream quickly went viral, attracting widespread attention and a flurry of mixed reactions from the public.
Seizing on the trending topic, Đức and Khánh, in their capacity as page administrators, began posting a series of articles on their fanpages. These posts accused the car owner of extorting the charitable relief group and artificially inflating the repair costs to embezzle the compensation money. According to the Thanh Hoa police, these claims were made without any verification of the facts. The posts, which spread rapidly, fueled public outrage and cast the car owner in a highly negative light.
When the car owner attempted to set the record straight, publicly denying the accusations and asserting that the information was inaccurate, the admins did not back down. Instead, Khánh, in particular, is alleged to have responded with a mocking tone, further insulting the reputation and honor of the car owner. As the posts continued to circulate, the reputational damage mounted, with many online commentators taking sides and the story dominating local social media feeds.
In a notable development, both Đức and Khánh later admitted during police questioning that their primary motivation had been to leverage the event’s popularity. As reported by Người lao động, they confessed to posting the unverified content to "exploit the trending event to increase interaction and the value of the fanpages for advertising revenue." This frank admission underscored the increasingly commercial nature of social media management in Vietnam, where page value is often linked directly to engagement metrics and the potential for lucrative advertising deals.
Thanh Hoa police, for their part, took a dim view of the admins’ actions. Both individuals were prosecuted and detained on charges of "abusing the rights to freedom of speech to infringe on the interests of the State and legitimate rights of organizations and individuals," as stipulated under Article 331 of the Penal Code. Police officials stated that the suspects’ behavior had "caused serious consequences, lowering the reputation and honor" of those involved in the incident, as well as potentially undermining broader public trust.
The Facebook fanpages at the center of the storm have been active for years, regularly posting about newsworthy incidents in Thanh Hoa and beyond. With their large followings and high daily engagement, these pages wield considerable influence, often shaping the local narrative around unfolding events. This case, however, has raised difficult questions about the limits of that influence and the ethical responsibilities of those who control such platforms.
It’s not the first time Vietnam has grappled with the challenges posed by unregulated social media content. Over the past decade, the explosive growth of platforms like Facebook has given rise to a new breed of citizen journalists and online commentators. While many have used their platforms to inform and mobilize communities, others have run afoul of authorities for spreading misinformation or content deemed harmful to public order or individual reputations.
The law invoked in this case—Article 331 of the Penal Code—has become an increasingly common tool for Vietnamese authorities in recent years. It criminalizes the abuse of citizens’ rights to free speech and expression when such acts infringe upon the interests of the State or the legal rights of individuals and organizations. Supporters of the law argue that it is necessary to maintain social harmony and prevent the spread of harmful rumors, especially in an era where misinformation can go viral in minutes. Critics, however, contend that it can be used to stifle legitimate dissent and restrict press freedom.
Public opinion on the case has been sharply divided. Some see the police action as a necessary check on the power of social media administrators, who, in their view, too often prioritize clicks and engagement over truth and accountability. Others worry that the crackdown could have a chilling effect on free expression, especially for those who use online platforms to raise awareness of social issues or hold powerful interests to account.
Meanwhile, the incident has prompted renewed calls for greater media literacy among the public. As one observer noted, "With so much information circulating online, it’s more important than ever for readers to verify facts before drawing conclusions or sharing posts." The rapid spread of the original livestream and the subsequent viral posts by Đức and Khánh illustrate just how quickly misinformation can take root—and how difficult it can be to correct once it does.
As of now, the case remains under active investigation by Thanh Hoa police, who have indicated that they are continuing to gather evidence and may expand the scope of the inquiry. The outcome could set an important precedent for how Vietnam handles similar cases in the future, with implications not only for social media admins but for anyone who participates in the country’s increasingly vibrant online public sphere.
For now, the saga of "Beat 36 Thanh Hóa" serves as a stark reminder of both the power and the peril of instant communication in the digital age. As the investigation continues, all eyes are on Thanh Hoa, waiting to see what lessons—if any—the country will draw from this cautionary tale.