Vietnam will require all users of social networks, such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, to verify their identity to limit scams on such platforms.

Accounts failing to be verified will be handled, and even blocked, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam said at a working session of the lawmaking National Assembly’s Judiciary Committee on Monday.

The Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Public Security have worked out a detailed cooperation plan.

After inspectors in localities proposed verifying social media accounts showing signs of violations, the Authority of Information Security will coordinate with the Vietnam Internet Network Information Center and the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information to do the job.

There are times they cannot identify social media account holders that violate the laws as those criminals use cross-border apps, Lam said.

The issue will be tackled in the coming time once the amended Telecommunications Law is approved. The law regulates that both local and foreign platforms will be managed alike.

If the platforms fail to meet the management requirements, they will be banned in Vietnam.

Lam affirmed that the Ministry of Information and Communications is able to block users of social media platforms, even foreign ones.

However, when the accounts are blocked, evidence of violations will no longer exist, hindering other forces from fighting law violators.

Many criminals have taken advantage of technological advancement to commit scams and the handling of such criminals has not been as effective as expected, said Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Duy Ngoc. 

As a result, policies are needed to support the underprivileged so that they will not fall victim to scams, Ngoc said.

As of mid-April, some 1.2 million mobile phone numbers have been blocked as their owners failed to verify their personal information.

The Ministry of Public Security will work with banks to verify payment accounts in the coming time, Ngoc informed.

“We will thus access and limit online scams,” Ngoc added.

International cooperation enhancement, especially between countries sharing a border, is also important to handle criminals.

The ministry will cooperate with the General Department of Vocational Training under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs in bettering the management of laborers working overseas, thus reducing human trafficking through the dispatch of workers to other countries.

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