Vietnam Enforces Strict New Cybersecurity Law to Control Online Content and Accounts

The government of Vietnam has put strict new internet rules into action to tightly manage what people post and share on social media platforms.

Under this updated cybersecurity law, internet companies, social media apps, and local group administrators must verify the true identities of all users using phone numbers or official personal documents.

People can no longer post messages or videos completely anonymously, as the government aims to easily trace every online comment, opinion, or message directly back to the real person who posted it.

These comprehensive digital rules officially came into force across Vietnam as part of the country’s updated legal framework governing cyberspace and national security.

Passed by the National Assembly to combine older internet decrees into one powerful law, the new guidelines apply to every citizen, local business, and foreign technology platform operating inside the country.

Technology firms that run app stores, messaging programs, or social media sites must comply with these strict requirements or face immediate suspension of their services.

The primary reason behind this heavy internet control is to stop the spread of unverified news, prevent online financial scams, and block criticism directed at government policies.

Authorities argue that knowing who owns every digital account makes it much easier to catch online thieves and stop harmful rumors.

However, strict provisions in the law specifically ban posts that criticize government officials, distort national history, or stir up public confusion. Under these rules, tech companies must delete any content flagged as illegal by security agencies within a very short timeframe.

Human rights groups and international watchdogs have raised serious concerns about how these strict demands will limit freedom of speech for ordinary citizens and independent journalists.

Highlighting how these laws treat online public opinions, Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch, stated, “Because the Vietnamese police treat any criticism of the Communist Party of Vietnam as a national security matter, this decree will provide them with yet another tool to suppress dissent”.

At the same time, rights advocates warn that forcing people to reveal their real identities leaves everyday internet users vulnerable to arrest if they voice complaints about local issues online.

Commenting on how the rules affect open public discussions, human rights researchers noted that “account authentication helps authorities identify the real identity behind the account,” cautioning that the law functions as “a tool to suppress freedom of speech rather than to protect national security”.

By making real-name registration mandatory and demanding quick removal of unapproved posts, Vietnam has created one of the strictest online environments in the region. Every day, users must now exercise extreme caution with what they like, share, or type on their phones, as anonymous internet posting has officially come to an end.