Vietnam may ban children under 16 years old from posting, commenting or reacting to posts on social media as the country looks to join other governments tightening online protections for minors.
Children under 16 would be required to have their social media accounts registered by a parent or legal guardian responsible for monitoring the content they view and their screen time, according to a draft decree from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Social media platforms would be ordered to deploy measures to identify child users and ensure they are exposed only to age-appropriate content.
The proposal comes as governments worldwide tighten restrictions on children’s use of social media on growing concerns about harmful content and online safety. France on Wednesday approved a ban on new social media accounts for kids under 15, while Malaysia now requires social media users to verify their age.
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“The primary goal is not to ban or overly restrict children from social media but to ensure that when they use these platforms, they are in age-appropriate spaces and protected from harmful risks,” deputy culture minister Phan Tam said in a meeting Thursday.
The draft also requires platforms to cooperate with authorities by establishing reporting mechanisms and providing information if child abuse or exploitation is detected. Social media companies would also have to apply the highest level of privacy protection to child accounts, while blocking children from accessing content related to violence, pornography, gambling, drugs, suicide and other harmful material.
Vietnam is also mulling tighter restrictions on online gaming for minors. Under the draft rules, children would be required to have their accounts registered by their parent or legal guardian while game operators must limit playtime no more than 60 minutes a day.