TikTok takes down Vietnamese channels providing IELTS study tips over copyright claims

Content creators complained that channels they managed, including newly created and backup accounts, have been deleted, Thanh Nien newspaper reported.

Nguyen Hoang Huy, a popular educator known for achieving a perfect 9.0 IELTS score, said both his primary and backup channels were deleted within days. His free IELTS-focused channel used to attract thousands of viewers during live-stream sessions. He said on Facebook that many IELTS educators ranging from online teaching newbies to seasoned professionals suffered a similar fate.

"From discussions within the community, it is clear there has been a major disruption. As an educator, I am unable to focus on my teaching priorities and must instead monitor the platform daily to see what has been targeted or removed. "

A phone with TikTok logo on the screen. Photo by Reuters

Kim Ngan, owner of the "Panda Station" channel on the Chinese platform also said her channel has been deleted. The account, which had over 141,000 followers and received 1.1 million likes, was used to share IELTS resources with students both inside and outside her language center.

She has little hope of its reinstatement despite filing an appeal. "I hope this is a valuable lesson for anyone planning to build channels related to international exams."

TikTok informed the affected creators that their accounts were permanently banned for "repeated violations of intellectual property policies." Users can appeal if they believe the bans are erroneous.

A content creator with English-learning channels said his content was flagged, with an international education and study-abroad organization in Vietnam named in copyright complaints. He thought the issue might involve IELTS-related material or automated copyright scanning tools used by major brands.

"It seems TikTok is quite sensitive to these claims, often siding with the complainants. I have contacted the organization involved and believe this might be a misunderstanding."

Nguyen Nhan, founder of "Nhan Nguyen Sharing," a platform where he shares insights about social media and content creation, told Thanh Nien that the sudden removal of many English-learning and IELTS-related social media channels raises "many questions."

He feared that third parties might be exploiting moderation loopholes to sabotage others. "There could be unfair competition at play here. For now content creators can only appeal to platform support channels, often in vain. Some even have their channels reinstated after an initial appeal, only to be banned again shortly after."

The suspension of TikTok channels has not only impacted content creators but also reduced access to free, useful learning resources for students preparing for IELTS. Social media and cybersecurity experts have raised concerns about possible scams related to the suspensions.

"When official accounts are reported and locked, it opens opportunities for scammers to create fake accounts posing as reputable centers or educators to carry out online fraud schemes."

Vietnamese candidates' average IELTS score dropped to 6.2 out of 9 during the 2023-2024 period, resulting in the country's rank falling from 23rd in 2022 to 29th place.