Air quality app is back for users in Vietnam after "concerted attack"
AirVisual has decided to unblock users in Vietnam, so that they can download the application again yesterday evening.
After two days of restricting users in Vietnam, air quality application AirVisual is back for them to download on October 8 night, local media reported.Independent online air quality index monitor AirVisual said on October 7 that it was under “coordinated attack” to discredit the company after its data showed Hanoi has at times topped its list of 90 major polluted cities.
“AirVisual has received abusive and threatening messages posted on Facebook and on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store,” it said in a statement on Monday, explaining why the AirVisual apps and Facebook page were not accessible in Vietnam.
A scene of Hanoi city from above after rain. Photo: Hung Nam
|
However, Ngoc later admitted that he had made a mistake because he did not understand AirVisual’s mechanism, and apologized to the people who developed the app.
AirVisual said it worked with Apple, Google and Facebook to confirm that it has been unfairly attacked, and to make the AirVisual app available again for users in Vietnam.
AirVisual is an application that measures air pollution with indicators in different levels. AirVisual said its data has helped raise awareness of air quality issues in Vietnam, but this also made it the target of a campaign to discredit the company.
The Hanoi government last week blamed the pollution on scarce rainfall and farmers burning rice straws after the harvest. Coal is also one of the causes since it is widely used for power generation in the country.
The rain these days in Hanoi has helped reduce the capital city’s air pollution index significantly.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecast said rain could occur until the weekend. The rainfall has reduced dust concentration in Hanoi’s air. Heavy rainfall will also wash dust away, thus reducing pollution level in the capital city.
20:10, 2024/04/24
Prime Minister urges measures to boost national digital transformation
The government expects all remote areas to have access to mobile networks by December 2024.
15:47, 2024/04/24
ASEAN: Key actor in peace, security and stability-building
ASEAN upholds established principles and sets new standards in the region where all nations are empowered to make future decisions and where all goods, services, capital flows, and ideas are freely transferred.
15:23, 2024/04/24
Vietnam news in brief - April 24
Keep updated on the Hanoi Times for the latest news in Vietnam.
11:10, 2024/04/24
Collective efforts are key to fight against plastic waste
Vietnam can effectively tackle the issue of plastic waste by participating in international agreements and encouraging the involvement of various stakeholders.
21:44, 2024/04/23
Vietnamese PM outlines five 'reinforcements' at ASEAN Future Forum
The forum discusses solutions to ensure harmony between development and environmental protection, climate change response, and social security.
19:49, 2024/04/23
Sound technology development policies key to ASEAN's future
Half of ASEAN's population lives in rural areas, making it harder for them to access digital solutions.