Vietnam proposes posting ban for under-16 social media users

Vietnam is considering a novel approach to youth social media regulation that would allow users under 16 to keep their accounts but strip them of the ability to post, comment, or react to content. The draft decree, proposed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, represents a distinct alternative to the outright bans being adopted by a growing number of other nations.

Under the proposal, social media accounts for children under 16 would need to be registered using a parent or guardian’s details, making the adult responsible for monitoring the child’s content consumption and screen time. Platforms would be required to deploy technical measures to identify underage users, restrict them to age-appropriate content, and apply the highest available privacy settings by default. They would also need to proactively detect and block access to content related to violence, explicit material, gambling, drugs, and suicide.

Deputy Culture Minister Phan Tam, speaking at a meeting on July 23, framed the objective as protective rather than prohibitive. He stated the primary goal is not to ban or excessively restrict access, but to ensure children are in an age-appropriate environment when...