Vietnam is planning to require social media platforms to stop users under 16 from posting content, commenting or reacting to posts under a draft decree designed to strengthen online protections for children.
The proposal would require social media accounts belonging to children under 16 to be registered using the details of a parent or legal guardian, who would be responsible for supervising the content viewed and the amount of time spent on the platforms.
Social media companies would also be required to use technical measures to identify child users and ensure they are shown age-appropriate content.
"The primary objective is not to ban or excessively restrict children's access to social media, but rather to ensure that when children use social media services, they are placed in an age-appropriate environment and protected from inappropriate risks," Deputy Culture Minister Phan Tam said on Thursday during a meeting to discuss the proposed rules.
He said the proposal was intended to improve online safety for children while allowing them to continue using social media in a safer, age-appropriate environment.
Under the draft decree, platforms would also be required to provide the highest level of privacy protection for child accounts and proactively detect, warn about and block access to content related to violence, pornography, gambling, drugs, suicide and other harmful material.
The proposal comes as governments around the world move to tighten online safety rules for children amid growing concerns over the impact of social media and harmful online content on young people's mental health.
Earlier this week, French lawmakers approved a ban on social media access for children under 15, while Australia became the first country to introduce similar restrictions. Several other countries are considering comparable measures.
Beyond social media, the draft decree also proposes new restrictions on online gaming by minors.
Game operators would be required to verify users' ages, register accounts for children under 16 through a parent or legal guardian, and limit those users to no more than 60 minutes of gameplay per day across games provided by the same company.
The draft decree has not yet been finalised and could still be revised before being adopted.
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