Measures to protect children in cyberspace in Vietnam

Measures to protect children in cyberspace in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Children's rights in cyberspace in Vietnam 

According to Clause 1, Article 29 of the Cybersecurity Law 2018, children have the right to be protected, access information, participate in social activities and entertainment, personal information confidentiality and other rights in cyberspace.

2. Measures to protect children in cyberspace in Vietnam

2.1. Communication and education to raise capacity to protect children in cyberspace in Vietnam

Measures of communication and education to raise capacity to protect children in cyberspace are specified in Article 34 of Decree 56/2017/ND-CP as follows:

- State management agencies in charge of information and communications; education and training; vocational education; and children; organizations operating for the benefits of children;

And organizations operating in cyberspace shall disseminate public information for raising public awareness, building capacity, and improving skills of parents and caregivers of children, teachers, children and related agencies and organizations with regard to the benefits and negative impacts of cyberspace on children;

And prevention and stoppage of acts of child abuse in cyberspace in accordance with the laws on information technology and information security and other relevant fields.

- Parents, teachers and caregivers of children shall provide safety knowledge and skills for children when participating in cyberspace; children have the duty to learn knowledge and skills to protect themselves when participating in cyberspace.

- Providers of services in cyberspace shall provide instructions on the use of services and information technology devices and on access to information in order to protect children in cyberspace.

2.2. Assurance of safety for children in the exchange and provision of information in cyberspace in Vietnam

Measures to ensure the safety of children in exchanging and providing information on the network environment include:

- Agencies, organizations and individuals operating in cyberspace shall coordinate with competent state agencies and other organizations and individuals in ensuring information security for children in cyberspace; and prevent information that is harmful to children in accordance with the law on cyberinformation security.

- Enterprises providing services in cyberspace shall adopt measures to protect child users.

- Enterprises providing services in cyberspace shall give warnings or remove information and services that are harmful to children, and fake information and services that infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of children.

- Providers of video games in cyberspace must have tools for controlling playing time and for protecting children from being abused or addicted to video games.

- Organizations, enterprises and individuals operating or providing services in cyberspace shall develop or use and widely disseminate software and tools for protecting children in cyberspace.

(Article 35 of Decree 56/2017/ND-CP)

2.3. Measures to protect private information for children in cyberspace

According to Article 36 of Decree 56/2017/ND-CP, measures to protect private information for children in cyberspace include:

- When publishing private information of a child on a network, a provider of services in cyberspace or a person

+ Shall obtain the consent of the child’s parent(s) or caregiver and the child himself/herself if he/she is full 7 years or older;

+ Shall ensure information safety for the child.

- Providers of services in cyberspace shall: 

+ Employ measures and tools to ensure safety for private information of children;

+ Deliver warning messages when children provide or change their private information.

- Parents, caregivers and children aged full 7 years or older, and agencies, organizations and persons with child protection responsibility as prescribed by law have the right to request providers of services and persons operating in cyberspace to remove private information of children to ensure safety and best interests of children.

2.4. Assistance and intervention measures for children abused in cyberspace

Assistance and intervention measures for children abused in cyberspaceare specified in Article 37 of Decree 56/2017/ND-CP as follows:

- State management agencies in charge of information and communications, and of children’s affairs; and organizations and enterprises operating and providing services in cyberspace shall

+ Organize the receipt of information sent by agencies, organizations, individuals and children, and the assessment and classification of levels of safety of information and services for children;

+ Announce lists of information networks and online services and products according to their levels of safety for children;

+ Ensure the detection and removal of images, documents and information unsuitable for children.

- Public security agencies shall implement measures for assistance, intervention and protection of children in cyberspace.

Nguyen Thi Hoai Thuong

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE