Need to tighten social network management

On the morning of November 28, the Ministry of Information and Communications held a conference to review and evaluate electronic information activities in 2024, orientation for 2025 and disseminate Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP dated November 9, 2024 regulating the management, provision and use of internet services and online information.

The conference was held in person and online at the headquarters of the Ministry of Information and Communications and 63 connecting points at the Departments of Information and Communications nationwide.

Strong development of electronic information field

According to the report ofMinistry of Information and CommunicationsIn 2024, 80 more general information websites and 40 domestic social networks were licensed. The total number of Vietnamese accounts using domestic social networks is about 110 million accounts. The total number of Vietnamese accounts using foreign social networks is about 203 accounts.

Of which, the number of monthly Zalo users (as of June 30, 2024) is 76.5 million users. The number of Facebook users in Vietnam is 72 million, YouTube is 63 million and Tiktok is 67 million users. Thus, up to now, the Zalo platform has more registered accounts than 3 cross-border platforms.

In 2024, the Ministry of Information and Communications issued 23 G1 electronic game licenses, 30 G2, G3, G4 electronic game certificates. The Ministry of Information and Communications also issued 13 Certificates of notification of contact information of foreign organizations and individuals doing cross-border advertising business in Vietnam.

According to estimates, in 2024, the Game industry's revenue is estimated to reach about 12,500 billion VND, a slight decrease compared to 2023. The number of Game industry employees in 2024 is estimated at about 4,100 people, an increase of 31% compared to 2023.

In 2024, the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Department of Information and Communications of localities inspected, reviewed, and rectified 236 electronic information pages, general electronic information pages, social networks, and social network accounts. Of these, 46 cases were penalized with a total fine of more than 1 billion VND.

Local Departments of Information and Communications also inspected 1,040 general electronic information websites and social networks, detected, handled and corrected 290 websites with signs of violating legal regulations (20 cases of "newspaperization"), reviewed and handled 83 domain names with signs of violation (forcibly revoked 2 domain names).

In 2024, the Ministry of Information and Communications will continue to maintain the fight, requiring platforms to prevent and remove information that violates Vietnamese law. As a result, Facebook has blocked and removed 8,981 contents that oppose the Party and State and violate Vietnamese law (94%); Google has blocked and removed 6,043 violating contents on YouTube (91%); TikTok has blocked and removed 971 violating contents (93%).

Be legitimate when using social networks

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications - Pham Duc Long said, looking back over the past year, the Ministry of Information and Communications realized that the fieldelectronic informationhas made positive contributions to the Information and Communications industry in particular and to social life in general.

According to Deputy Minister Pham Duc Long, in recent years, cyberspace has made sharing and accessing information more and more convenient and easy, contributing to the development of the knowledge-based economy, increasing democracy and transparency; types of information on the internet have become increasingly diverse and rich to meet people's requirements for information exchange in all fields.

Domestic social networks have gradually attracted a large number of Vietnamese users. However, in reality, the influence and impact of information on domestic social networks is still limited compared to cross-border platforms. Information appearing on fraudulent websites is still very common.

In recent times, the Center for Handling Fake News, Bad and Toxic Information of the Ministry of Information and Communications has connected with local Centers for Handling Fake News, Bad and Toxic Information to form a national network for handling fake news (20 provinces and cities). Thanks to that, localities have proactively verified and immediately handled violations in their areas.

At the same time, recently, the situation of "newspaperization" on electronic information sites has been identified by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Central Propaganda Department, focusing on timely correction with the implementation of a series of solutions: inspection, examination, administrative sanctions, even considering suspension of operations. Thanks to that, the situation of "newspaperization" of general electronic information sites and social networks has decreased significantly, although at times and in some places there are still some violations.

Cross-border advertising management has become routine, and large service providers are aware and conscious of the need to comply with advertising regulations.

Besides, the Ministry of Information and Communications has coordinated with video game production and distribution enterprises to carry out many important activities that guide the development of the industry.

However, there is still a situation of illegal games and games supplied across borders into Vietnam, which has affected the healthy development of the domestic game market, creating unfair competition. In the coming time, the Ministry of Information and Communications and relevant agencies will coordinate with businesses and localities to review and handle this.

At the conference, the Ministry of Information and Communications disseminated Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP dated November 9, 2024 regulating the management, provision and use of internet services and online information.

This Decree supplements new regulations to change the habits of social network users. Accordingly, social network users must identify themselves with a phone number and personal identification number, and only authenticated accounts can provide information and share information on social networks.

Regulations to limit anonymous users from spreading fake, bad, and toxic information. Social network users must be legitimate; regulations for children under 16 to use social networks; regulations on "newspaperization" of social networks.

At the same time, the regulation promotes decentralization and delegation of administrative procedures on game licensing from the Ministry to the Department of Information and Communications from the central to local levels; supplements regulations on information processing management in cyberspace of ministries, branches, localities, etc.