New special agency recorded and filmed in disguise

Only agencies responsible for protecting national security, order, and social safety are allowed to use camouflaged equipment and software for recording, filming, and positioning.

The Ministry of Public Security is seeking public comments on a draft Decree regulating business conditions for camouflaged equipment and software used for recording, filming, and positioning.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, in recent years, the business situation of camouflaged equipment and software for recording, filming, and positioning has been very complicated, causing outrage in society and posing many potential threats to national defense, security, and order.

Phone eavesdropping software is becoming more and more popular - illustration

Through the state management of security and order, the Ministry of Public Security has discovered many cases of subjects using camouflaged devices and software to record audio, video, and locate; a typical case is the case of Viet Hong Company publicly advertising Ptracker software products and monitoring more than 14,000 mobile phone accounts, allowing subjects to rent Viet Hong Company's Ptracker software service to secretly film, take photos, record calls, and locate phones illegally...

In addition, the Ministry of Public Security has identified at least 24 individuals and organizations that have publicly advertised, traded equipment, and provided services similar to Viet Hong Company.

People who use recording, filming, and positioning devices disguised as normal objects or illegally installed tracking software on electronic devices and computers violate the privacy of individuals and the activities of agencies and organizations, affect the rights and legitimate interests of agencies, organizations, and individuals, and cause outrage in society.

According to the draft recently announced by the Ministry of Public Security, business activities of camouflaged equipment and software used for recording, filming, and positioning, including: manufacturing, assembling, transporting, storing, buying, selling, leasing, and repairing camouflaged equipment and software used for recording, filming, and positioning, are conditional business activities that require a Certificate of eligibility for security and order issued by a competent authority under the Ministry of Public Security or the Ministry of National Defense.

According to the draft Decree, only 3 groups of entities are allowed to trade in camouflage equipment and software used for recording, filming, and positioning, including: Business establishments under the Ministry of Public Security; Business establishments under the Ministry of National Defense serving the People's Army; Business establishments not under the Ministry of Public Security or the Ministry of National Defense with written approval from the Ministry of Public Security.

The draft also clearly states that only agencies responsible for protecting national security, social order and safety are allowed to use camouflaged equipment and software for recording, filming, and positioning to serve the activities of protecting national security, ensuring social order and safety, preventing and fighting crimes, and national defense tasks.

At the same time, the draft clearly states 8 prohibited acts, including: Taking advantage of business activities to commit acts that harm security and order; Using camouflaged equipment and software for recording, filming, and positioning that harm national security and social order and safety; Illegally manufacturing, assembling, transporting, storing, buying, selling, renting, and repairing camouflaged equipment and software for recording, filming, and positioning...

According to NLD