HANOI — Vietnam is planning to force social media platforms to ban users under 16 from posting content, commenting or reacting to posts, according to a draft decree reviewed by Reuters, joining a growing international push to curb the use of social media by minors.
The proposed rules would require social media accounts belonging to children under 16 to be registered using the information 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 have to use technical measures to identify child users and ensure age-appropriate content distribution, according to the draft decree.
"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 at a meeting to discuss the new rules.
