Vietnam has proposed new rules to prevent children under the age of 16 from posting content, commenting or reacting on social media platforms to improve online safety for minors.
As reported by Reuters, social media accounts belonging to users under 16 would have to be registered using the information of a parent or legal guardian.
The guardian would also be responsible for supervising the content children view and the time they spend on the platforms.
The proposal requires social media companies to introduce technical measures to identify child users, distribute age-appropriate content and provide the highest level of privacy protection for children's accounts.
Deputy culture minister Phan Tam said the objective is not to ban children from using social media, but to ensure they are protected from inappropriate risks while accessing online services.
Under the draft decree, platforms would also be required to detect, warn against and block children's access to content related to violence, pornography, gambling, drugs, suicide and other harmful material.
Furthermore, the proposal also introduces new restrictions for online games. Game operators would have to verify players' ages and register under-16 accounts through a parent or guardian.
Game operators are also required to limit children under 16 to no more than 60 minutes of gameplay per day across games operated by the same company. The draft decree has not yet been finalised and may be revised before adoption.
Vietnam's proposal follows a growing wave of child online safety measures introduced in 2026. Earlier this year, the UAE became the first Arab country to ban children under 15 from holding social media accounts.
The UK followed shortly by proposing a ban on social media access for under-16s alongside new restrictions affecting gaming platforms, and Türkiye passed a sweeping digital law introducing tighter rules for both social media and gaming services.
