Vietnam: Closed consultation on Draft Decree 72 on the management, provision and use of internet services and online information including content moderation regulation

On 15 September 2023, the Vietnamese Government closed its consultation on Draft Decree 72 on the management, provision and use of internet services and online information, which would entirely replace current Decree 72. In particular, the Draft Decree imposes an obligation on social network services to actively inspect, monitor, and remove illegal content. Network service providers are also required to temporarily or permanently block social network accounts, community pages, community groups, and content channels that frequently violate or threaten national security, and to temporarily block content, services, and applications after receiving complaints from Vietnamese users when they have adverse effects on the legitimate rights and interests of individuals and organisations. Furthermore, they are required to provide the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) with tools for searching and scanning content. Finally, App stores are required to remove illegal applications from the app store within 24 hours upon the request of the MIC.