During a press conference on Monday, Le Quang Tu Do, the head of the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information at the Ministry of Information and Communications, acknowledged the presence of images depicting the multi-dash line on a Snapchat map.
According to Do, there is currently no way to reach out to Snapchat in Vietnam.
He further mentioned that if we are unable to reach out to [Snapchat] and remove the content, we will resort to implementing technical measures as a last resort.
Starting Monday, users in Vietnam using Snapchat took to the platform to share their surprising findings. They stumbled upon an alarming revelation when they noticed that the app's worldwide satellite map displayed an illicit multi-dash line.
Kim Cuong, a media specialist residing in Ho Chi Minh City, reported that the illicit line emerged subsequent to an update patch released in early November.
Snapchat utilizes data sourced from OpenStreetMap, a platform that has previously employed the illicit multi-dash line endorsed by China to demarcate its alleged "national territory." However, this delineation encompasses a significant portion of the East Sea, including Vietnam's Spratly and Paracel Islands. This particular line has faced international condemnation and rejection due to its infringement upon established international regulations and laws.
After the recent news, there has been a significant outcry from various social media communities urging others to boycott Snapchat. Additionally, numerous users have expressed their dissatisfaction by leaving 1-star reviews on online stores and demanding the removal of the application's illegal line.
In 2011, Snapchat became available to the public as a versatile platform for texting and sharing images.
