Vietnam Proposes Unique Approach to Child Online Safety: Keep Accounts, Limit Posts
Vietnam has unveiled a draft decree that would allow children under 16 to maintain their social media accounts but restrict them from posting, commenting, or reacting on those platforms.
A Narrower Approach than Australia’s Ban
July 24, 2026 – 8:49 am
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Vietnam is adopting an unusual strategy to regulate online activity among minors. According to a draft decree, users aged 16 and below will be permitted to retain their social media accounts but will lose the ability to post, comment, or react on them.
This approach diverges from Australia’s complete ban on under-16s having social media accounts, and it presents a unique challenge: allowing children to remain present online while silencing their voices. Australia’s outright ban has encountered difficulties due to age verification issues.
Proposal from the Culture Ministry
The proposal comes from Vietnam’s Culture Ministry, which gained oversight of media and broadcasting last year. Deputy Minister Phan Tam outlined the draft on Thursday.
While the text is yet to be finalized and may undergo revisions before adoption, it does not specify an implementation date.
Age Verification and Platform Responsibilities
Platforms would be required to verify users’ ages and register accounts for under-16s using parental or guardian details, relying heavily on age verification systems that other countries have struggled to implement effectively. Parents would then be responsible for monitoring their children’s online activities and time spent online.
Companies must also actively detect, warn about, and block content involving violence, pornography, gambling, drugs, and suicide, while ensuring the highest privacy protections for child accounts.
Framing as a Shaping, Not Restricting Exercise
Phan Tam emphasized that the goal is not to ban or excessively restrict children’s access to social media but to create an age-appropriate environment for them when they do use these services.
However, the draft leaves unclear how platforms would distinguish between 15- and 16-year-olds, as it does not specify technical measures for identifying child users.
Global Trend in Child Online Safety
Vietnam joins a growing list of countries addressing online safety for children:
- Australia: The first country to ban under-16s from social media accounts in December.
- France: Approved a ban on access for under-15s on Tuesday.
- Britain: Currently weighing its own restrictions.
Vietnam’s proposal stands out by preserving account access while limiting speech, differing from the stricter measures taken by other nations.