Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security is seeking public feedback on a draft decree on cybercrime prevention that would require social media platforms, telecoms and internet service providers to verify the real identities of group and community administrators.
Under the proposal, platforms must establish monitoring mechanisms and apply technical measures to detect and handle groups showing signs of legal violations, while providing user data to authorities upon request. Response deadlines are set at no more than 24 hours for standard requests and three hours for emergencies involving national security or threats to human life.
Group administrators would be held legally responsible for their communities’ activities, including drafting internal rules, moderating content and promptly removing posts that violate the law. Rank-and-file members are also brought into scope, required to comply with regulations and cooperate with authorities when asked. The draft states that oversight must respect freedom of expression and individual privacy rights.
Vietnam has steadily tightened control over online speech in recent years. The country already requires users to register social media accounts under their real names and has pressured platforms including Facebook and TikTok to remove content deemed politically sensitive or harmful.
