HANOI, July 24 — Vietnam has drafted a decree that would prohibit users under 16 from posting content, commenting or reacting on social media platforms and would require under-16 accounts to be registered under a parent or legal guardian.
Key Provisions
Under the proposal, social media accounts belonging to children under 16 must be set up using the personal details of a parent or legal guardian, who would be responsible for supervising the content their child can access and the time the child spends on the platforms. Platforms would be required to adopt technical measures to identify underage users and ensure age-appropriate content distribution.
"The primary objective is not to ban or excessively restrict children's access to social media, but rather to ensure that when children use social media services, they are placed in an age-appropriate environment and protected from inappropriate risks," Deputy Culture Minister Phan Tam said at a meeting discussing the draft decree.
The draft also instructs platforms to apply the highest level of privacy protection for child accounts and to proactively detect, warn about and block access to material deemed harmful, including content involving violence, pornography, gambling, drugs and suicide.
Gaming Limits And International Context
Beyond social media, the draft introduces restrictions on online gaming for minors. Game operators would need to verify ages, register accounts for under-16s through a parent or guardian, and limit children under 16 to no more than 60 minutes of play per day for games provided by the same company.
The proposal comes amid growing global concern about children’s online safety and mental health. France recently approved a ban on social media access for under-15s, and Australia has implemented similar restrictions; several other countries are considering measures along the same lines.
The decree remains in draft form and could be revised before final adoption.
Reporting by Khanh Vu; Editing by David Stanway.
