New regulations for the Vietnamese internet mandating that Facebook and TikTok authenticate user identities and surrender data to authorities took effect on Wednesday, which critics argue represents yet another assault on free speech.
Under ‘Decree 147′, all technology corporations operating in Vietnam are required to validate user accounts using their phone numbers or Vietnamese ID numbers and keep that information along with their full name and date of birth.
They are obligated to present that information to officials upon request and eliminate any content deemed ‘illegal’ by the government within a 24-hour timeframe.
The new regulations took effect on Wednesday, as reported by state media VNExpress.
All social media platforms were allotted 90 days to report on ‘the total number of regular visits from Vietnam’ and the monthly count of regular users to authorities, the site stated.
‘By utilizing Decree 147, they will publicly silence dissenting voices,’ remarked activist Dang Thi Hue, who shares insights on political and social matters on her Facebook page with 28,000 followers.
The decree was described as ‘the latest indication of violation of fundamental freedoms… with an unclear distinction between what is permissible and what is not,’ stated former political prisoner Le Anh Hung.
‘No one desires imprisonment, so naturally, some activists will exercise greater caution and be apprehensive due to this decree.’
The stringent Vietnamese regime typically acts swiftly to quash opposition and detain critics, particularly those who gain traction on social media.
In October, blogger Duong Van Thai – boasting nearly 120,000 YouTube followers, where he frequently streamed content critical of the government – was sentenced to 12 years in prison on allegations of disseminating anti-state information.
Decree 147 expands upon a cybersecurity law from 2018 that faced fierce criticism from the US, EU, and advocates for internet freedom, who claimed it mirrored China’s stringent censorship practices.
Additionally, the decree stipulates that only authenticated accounts may livestream, affecting the rapidly growing number of individuals making a living through social commerce on platforms such as TikTok.
In addition to the implications for social media companies, the new regulations also impose limitations on gaming for minors, aimed at combating addiction.
Game developers are expected to enforce a session limit of one hour per gaming session and a maximum of 180 minutes a day across all games.
According to data research firm Newzoo, just over half of Vietnam’s 100 million populace regularly engages in such gaming activities.
A significant portion of the population is also active on social media, with the Ministry of Information and Communications estimating approximately 65 million Facebook users, 60 million on YouTube, and 20 million on TikTok.
