Haivl.com, the Vietnamese equivalent of 9GAG, an American site which allows for the sharing of humorous pictures, was subject Friday to a hefty fine and had its license revoked over numerous violations, just two weeks after it was acquired by a local online ad agency in a US$1.5 million deal.
The social media site, operated by tech firm APPVL, was fined VND250 million ($9,649) for “severely breaching laws on digital content on the Internet,” according to the Department of Radio, TV and Digital Information under the Ministry of Information and Communications.
Haivl.com, which has 4.45 million followers on Facebook, also had its license to operate as a social media site pulled by the department.
Haivl.com has allowed its members to post and share inappropriate content, including false historical information or offensive stories about Vietnam’s national heroes, via the photos posted on the site, according to the department.
The website also offers online games including chess, Chinese chess, and tic-tac-toe without approval from relevant agencies.
Haivl.com solicits content from its users, who upload comical photos and videos to share with others. A number of the photos posted on the website depict sexual behavior or make fun of public and historical figures.
The Ministry of Information and Communications has transferred the case to police to identify if the company behind haivl.com has violated the law, according to a source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.
On October 8, haivl.com was bought by 24h Online Advertising JSC, the operator of www.24h.com.vn, one of the most-visited websites in Vietnam, for VND33 billion (roughly $1.5 million).
24h Online Advertising is also the operator of popular online music and game sharing websites nhac.vui.vn and game.24.com.vn.
Acquiring Haivl was an apparent bid by the company to establish an online entertainment hub, according to local e-commerce experts.
Founded on May 7, 2012, Haivl received hundreds of uploads of funny and troll pictures, videos or memes on a daily basis.
Its operator, APPVL, reportedly generates monthly revenue of around VND800 million ($37,654).
Prior to the Friday shutdown, it was the 13th most visited website in Vietnam with 37 million visitors.
APPVL was founded by Vo Thanh Quang, born in 1989, an alumnus of Vietnam’s FPT University, which trains computer engineers and programmers.
Haivl.com is now inaccessible, with a message reading “Haivl is temporarily closed. Thank you for your sympathy” greeting visitors.
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Đăng ký: VietNam News