online businesses in the spotlight

Decree 147, which will enter into force next month, reinforces restrictions on data collection and content removal. Users: regulations are good for the government and bad for companies. Internet users can be fined for spreading false information and prosecuted for propaganda against the State.

Hanoi () – Internet users and activists in Vietnam are sounding the alarm about the new offensive planned by Hanoi against the Internet and, more generally, against freedom of expression, characterized by a tightening of controls in the face of already heavily regulated. The rule is scheduled to come into force next month and aims to more comprehensively monitor the online browsing of companies: specifically, offshore service providers, such as social media companies and service platforms. of application stores, must authenticate users in the country by requesting their telephone number or identification document.

The directives appear in Decree 147, which will come into force on December 25.

Account authentication helps authorities identify the user’s real identity, facilitating investigations and handling of violations,” Nguyen Tien Ma from the Information Security Department of the Ministry of Communications told Vietnam Television. Users of national social networks are also prohibited from posting news and interviews. An activist in Hanoi, who did not want to be identified, told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that this will prevent the resurgence of a previously strong citizen journalism movement that used blogs to provide news and commentary on political issues.

Furthermore, Decree 147 expands the scope of content monitoring, requiring Internet providers to punish themselves by monitoring and removing content deemed illegal by Vietnamese authorities. A businesswoman from Hung Yen City stated that the decree is good for the government and bad for businesses. Online sales are so popular now, everyone can sell online, so how can the government ignore such a lucrative opportunity? They have to track down the sellers – he adds – to collect taxes. However, some online businesses are unaware of the decree and its implications, as can be seen from questions to some online fashion store owners in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Both claimed to be completely unaware of the repercussions on their livestream marketing activities following the introduction of the controversial decree.

Since the promulgation of the cybersecurity law in 2018, the Government has issued three decrees relating to the management, provision and use of Internet services and online information: specifically, the law prohibits the use of cyberspace to “oppose the State, spread false information that causes public confusion, offends others [y] violate national security.” Additionally, companies must delete information deemed illegal at the government’s request; Otherwise, your service will be suspended. Internet users can be fined for spreading false information and prosecuted for propaganda against the State.

Decree 27 expanded the scope of surveillance to include misleading and false information considered “bad or toxic” but “not yet illegal.” Decree 53 further tightened content related to national security, which must be removed within 24 hours if it is considered a threat. Finally, the regulations require social media providers to use technology to automatically detect and report prohibited behavior. At the moment, there are no comments from senior managers of the main global companies in the sector, including Google and Meta (Facebook).