The Ministry of Justice is currently reviewing a draft decree that would amend and supplement provisions of Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP, the Vietnamese government’s primary legal instrument governing the management, provision and use of internet services and online information. Under the proposed changes, owners of social media accounts, content channels, community pages, and administrators of community groups with a combined following of at least one million followers or members would be required to provide their contact information to state authorities. The proposal has drawn attention from industry observers, many of whom describe it as a necessary step in bringing the growing influence of digital platforms and content creators under clearer regulatory oversight. The draft specifically introduces a new Clause 9 after Clause 8 of Article 36 of Decree 147/2024, which currently defines the rights and obligations of users of domestic social networks and foreign social networks providing cross-border services in Vietnam. If adopted, the regulation would affect a broad range of influential actors in the online space, including individual content creators, media companies, fan page operators, and group administrators whose combined digital reach meets the one-million threshold. The move signals that Vietnamese authorities are seeking to close a regulatory gap in which highly popular social media figures can operate with significant public influence but relatively limited formal accountability, especially when compared with traditional media organizations that are subject to strict licensing and content standards.
According to the draft text, the obligation would apply to owners of accounts, content channels and community pages, as well as administrators of community groups on social networks, collectively described as owners of accounts, channels, pages and groups. If the combined number of followers or members across all such entities under their management reaches one million or more, these owners and administrators would be required to notify the state agency responsible for electronic information of their contact details in writing. The notification would be submitted using Form No. 67 issued together with the decree, ensuring a standardized process for disclosure. The draft also specifies several acceptable methods for submitting the written notification: it may be delivered directly to the state agency, sent by post, or transmitted through other methods permitted by law. This administrative requirement is designed to create an identifiable point of contact for authorities, allowing them to reach the actual operators of large social media presences more easily. By requiring formal written notice, the regulation would also create a legal record that can be used in future enforcement actions. The threshold of one million combined followers is significant because it captures not only celebrities and mainstream influencers but also anonymous page administrators and content aggregators whose audiences may rival those of established news outlets. The inclusion of community groups further broadens the scope, recognizing that influence on Vietnamese social media is not limited to individual accounts but is often distributed across pages, channels, and group ecosystems managed by the same person or organization.
Vo Quoc Hung, Growth Director at Tonkin Agency, described the proposal as a positive turning point and an initial step toward establishing a legal framework that brings content creators and highly influential social media pages and channels under clearer regulatory oversight. In his view, the regulation could encourage greater awareness of the consequences of public statements and foster greater responsibility for content moderation among creators, as well as individuals and legal entities that own or manage channels and pages in the digital environment. Hung emphasized that such a requirement is necessary given the profound expansion of digital platforms in today’s media landscape. He noted that a social media account with one million followers can sometimes exert greater influence than a local news organization, making it reasonable to expect a corresponding level of social responsibility from its operator. The proposal could address several persistent issues, including the need to ensure that influential figures understand and accept the social weight of their online actions. It could also help discourage the dissemination of fake or misleading information designed to attract views and engagement, or even to cause public anxiety. By establishing a clear link between account ownership and legal responsibility, the regulation would make it harder for individuals to hide behind anonymity while profiting from large audiences and spreading harmful content.
Beyond the immediate goal of accountability, Hung suggested that the proposal could create a more level playing field for mainstream media, which is subject to stringent regulations and sanctions, while influencers and operators of fan pages with millions of followers can readily generate substantial advertising and sponsorship revenue while facing far fewer regulatory constraints. This asymmetry has long been a point of tension in Vietnam’s media environment, as traditional journalists and broadcasters must comply with strict rules on accuracy, fairness, and content standards, while digital content creators often operate in a more permissive space. The new registration requirement, if implemented effectively, would begin to correct that imbalance by subjecting the most influential online actors to at least a baseline level of state oversight. Hung also pointed out that registration could enable authorities to deal more quickly and easily with accounts, channels, pages, and groups that violate regulations, because their operators would be clearly identified. This would avoid situations in which officials spend considerable time and resources trying to determine who actually owns a particular account or page, a process that is often complicated by the use of false identities, unverified phone numbers, and offshore hosting. With a formal notification on file, enforcement actions such as warnings, content removal orders, or account suspensions could be directed at the responsible individual or entity without lengthy preliminary investigations.
Sharing a similar view, Nhan Nguyen, who works in digital marketing in Ho Chi Minh City, said the regulation is necessary because some individuals on social media platforms exploit their popularity and disregard ethical or legal boundaries in pursuit of greater fame. He observed that such individuals sometimes engage in behavior that has broader social consequences, including spreading rumors, inciting conflict, or promoting harmful products and services. Authorities are not always able to monitor and penalize such behavior, especially when the scale of social media activity is vast and constantly evolving. Requiring individuals to provide and verify their information could therefore encourage them to take greater responsibility for the content they disseminate on social media. Nhan Nguyen’s comments reflect a growing concern among digital marketing professionals and the general public that influencer culture has outpaced the existing legal framework. While many content creators operate responsibly and contribute positively to the digital economy, a minority have used their platforms in ways that undermine public trust, exploit vulnerable audiences, or evade accountability. The proposed registration requirement would not automatically solve all of these problems, but it would create a foundation for more effective oversight and more responsible behavior among the most influential online figures.
However, Hung also cautioned that the feasibility of the proposal needs careful consideration before it is finalized. If an individual or legal entity deliberately conceals ownership, determining how many social media accounts that person or organization controls, and then calculating the combined number of followers, could be extremely difficult. Many accounts, pages, and channels are currently operated by multi-channel networks, or MCNs, which manage multiple content creators and may obscure the true ownership structure. Others are run by anonymous administrators whose identities are unknown even to the platforms themselves, at least in terms of verified legal identity. Determining the actual owner can therefore present a significant challenge for regulators, particularly when accounts are created using virtual private networks, foreign phone numbers, or fabricated personal details. Even if the notification requirement is enacted, authorities would need robust tools and procedures to verify that all qualifying owners have complied, and to detect those who attempt to evade registration by splitting their followers across multiple accounts or transferring ownership before reaching the threshold. Without such tools, the regulation could become another administrative requirement that is only sporadically enforced, undermining its intended impact.
Ultimately, Hung said, even with legislation in place, enforcement would still depend on cooperation from social media platforms. If platforms refuse to cooperate, or provide only limited cooperation, sharing and cross-checking data to establish who owns particular accounts, channels, or pages would be extremely difficult. Social media companies operate across borders and are often subject to conflicting legal obligations in different jurisdictions, which can make them cautious about disclosing user information to foreign governments. Doing the work manually, meanwhile, would be slow and consume substantial state resources, requiring large teams of investigators to trace connections between accounts, analyze follower data, and match online personas with real-world identities. The success of the proposed regulation will therefore depend not only on the wording of the decree but also on Vietnam’s ability to negotiate cooperation with global platforms, develop technical capacity, and design enforcement mechanisms that are both effective and proportionate. Despite these challenges, the draft decree represents a significant step in Vietnam’s ongoing effort to adapt its legal framework to the realities of the digital age. By focusing on the largest and most influential social media actors, the government is signaling that influence carries responsibility, and that the era of unaccountable online power may be coming to an end. As the Ministry of Justice continues its review, stakeholders will be watching closely to see how the proposal is refined, how it will be enforced, and whether it can strike the right balance between regulation and the freedom that has made Vietnam’s digital economy so dynamic.
