Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), 9 May. The Government of Vietnam is preparing a law that will prohibit the anonymity of users on social networks to improve content control and fight against fraud and cyber scams, local media reported Tuesday.
The Vice Minister of Information and Communications, Nguyen Thanh Lam, warned during a government meeting on Monday that platforms such as Facebook, TikTok or YouTube will be treated as national companies and must comply with the rules in order not to be blocked, the VnExpress portal reported.
The decree, which has already been discussed by senior Vietnamese officials in the press in recent months, will be passed this year to deal with complaints about videos promoting illegal gambling, counterfeit sales or sexual services.
According to the state-run Voice of Vietnam newspaper, Lam explained that authorities sometimes fail to track down users who commit crimes on social media because they use transnational apps that allow them to hide, something the new rule would put an end to.
The law, of which no further details have been provided, must be approved by the National Assembly, which, except for extraordinary situations, meets in May and October.
Vietnam has tightened its rules for controlling internet content in recent years, especially with its cybersecurity law that forces social media platforms to fight “toxic content” and set up offices in the country.
The authorities have announced that they plan to investigate the TikTok platform this month to ensure that it complies with the law regarding content, payment of taxes and advertising. EFE
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