Nguyen Thi My Duyen – Paralegal

The previous regulations allowed social media users to verify their accounts with either email address or phone number when their information is registered or updated. However, under Decree 147/2024/ND-CP on the management, provision, and use of Internet and online information recently issued, there are only accounts verified by phone number or personal identification number (CCCD in Vietnamese) are permitted to post, comment, or live-stream, effective from 25 December 2024.

Accordingly, social media service providers are required to verify social media user accounts via a Vietnamese phone number. If it is impossible for phone verification, verification using a personal identification number (CCCD), following regulations on electronic identification and authentication is required.

Moreover, there are many key changes to be noted, namely:

1. Managing cross-border information services with platforms that receive over one hundred thousands (100,000) monthly visits or use data storage services in Vietnam; and users have right to permit or deny the use of their information for advertising purpose.

2. The social media service providers must store information for users in Vietnam during account registration, including name, date of birth, a Vietnamese phone number, or personal identification number (CCCD). This verification of the active users must be completed within ninety (90) days as from 25 December 2024.

3. Parents or guardians of users under sixteen (16) years old must register with their information and are responsible for supervising and managing children’s access and posts on social media platforms.

4. Social media service providers must block or remove the content that violates the Vietnamese laws within twenty-four (24) hours of a request from the competent authority.

5. For accounts, pages, community groups, or content channels with frequent violations (five (05) violations in thirty (30) days or ten (10) violations in ninety (90) days, as determined by requests from the Ministry of Information and Communications or the Ministry of Public Security), social media service providers must temporarily suspend these pages for seven (07) to thirty (30) days, blocking access from Vietnamese users. If an account, page, group, or channel is suspended three (03) times or posts content harmful to national security, social media service providers will permanently block their access from Vietnam.

Here is our advice on how social media accounts in Viet Nam need to be verified to post articles, comments, and livestream from 25 Dec 2024 . As a professional corporate lawyer team in the field of investment, we are always ready to provide our clients with optimal solutions in terms of efficiency, cost, and simplified legal procedures. Please visit our DIMAC Website and other News Category to get the latest updates on legal advice and market experience sharing.