Online Communities Lead Vietnamese Youth Astray, Exposing Them to Harmful Content
Translated from Vietnamese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Online communities are negatively influencing adolescents, leading to distorted perceptions of behavior and blurred lines between right and wrong.
- A clinical psychologist noted that children are being exposed to violent anime and online gambling groups, impacting their cognition, emotions, and actions.
- Some online groups normalize and even instruct on self-harm, creating a dangerous environment for vulnerable youth.
The rapid proliferation of social media has created a breeding ground for harmful online communities that are increasingly impacting Vietnam's youth. Tuổi Trẻ's investigation delves into the disturbing trend of adolescents being drawn into closed online groups where conventional norms are abandoned and the distinction between acceptable and unacceptable behavior becomes dangerously blurred.
In my practical interventions, I frequently encounter cases where children are influenced by two prominent types of online groups: those related to violent anime and online gambling groups.
Clinical psychologist Nguyễn Hồng Bách highlights the alarming influence of two specific types of online groups: those centered around violent anime and online gambling. These communities, he explains, are not just a form of entertainment but actively shape young minds, affecting their understanding of the world and their own actions. The psychologist points out that children, particularly those lacking mature critical thinking skills, can easily internalize the distorted values presented in these spaces, leading to a skewed worldview.
In many closed anime groups, self-harm is not only mentioned as a personal experience but is also shared, instructed, and 'normalized'.
What is particularly concerning is the normalization of dangerous behaviors within these groups. The article reveals how self-harm is discussed, shared, and even instructed upon, with some groups providing guidance on how to inflict injury without perceived serious consequence. This phenomenon, coupled with the "hiding syndrome"—a form of social withdrawal and avoidance—described by Bách, paints a grim picture of the psychological challenges facing Vietnamese youth. Tuổi Trẻ emphasizes the critical need for parental guidance and societal awareness to protect children from these detrimental online influences and to foster a healthier digital environment.
Children who experience early psychological trauma, stemming from the school or social environment, often exhibit this 'hiding syndrome'.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Tuổi Trẻ in Vietnamese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
More Stories
From Our Blog
What Gets Lost (and Found) When News Is Translated
The Critical Role of Diaspora Media in Global News
What Travellers Should Know About Countries with Restricted Press
A Digital Nomad's Guide to Following Local News
How the Same Story Looks Different in Different Countries
