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All domestic and foreign social media sites providing cross-border services in Vietnam would be forced to require users to verify their mobile phone numbers upon registration of social media accounts.
This is proposed by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MOIC) in the latest draft decree on the management, provision and use of Internet services and online information.
Designed to replace Decree 72 of 2013, the draft is expected to help manage social media sites, both local and foreign, more effectively so as to prevent scams in the cyberspace and raise users’ sense of responsibility.
Once the MOIC’s proposal is approved, social media users would be permitted to update status, write comments, create livestreams and share information after having provided sufficient and accurate personal information, including full name, date of birth, ID card number/passport number, mobile phone number and email address, if any.
The draft also stipulates that only social media sites that have been granted licenses for provision of social media services or have notified their operation with the MOIC would be allowed to provide livestream services. Specialized activities carried out in the form of livestream must comply with specialized laws.
In order to protect users’ interests, the MOIC requires social media sites to publicize descriptions of the process and method of distribution of contents on their platforms; have user complaint receipt and settlement sections; and supplement rules on protection of children when using social media services.
In addition, social media sites would also have to provide engines for searching and scanning contents on their platforms. Accounts, community pages, groups, and content channels that frequently or seriously infringe upon national security would be temporarily or permanently closed.
Under the 2018 Law on Cyber Security, domestic and foreign enterprises providing services on the telecommunications networks or the Internet or providing value-added services in the cyberspace must block or remove law-violating information within 24 hours after receiving the MOIC’s request. The draft decree now requires enterprises to do this immediately in case the information seriously infringes upon or affects national security; otherwise the MOIC would take technical measures to prevent the enterprises from providing services for users.-
By: Vietnam Law & Legal Forum
