A new decree mandates ID linking across 12 sectors but stays silent on penalties.
The Latest: Article 19 of Decree 320/2026 requires electronic transaction accounts on digital platforms in 12 sectors to “be linked to and authenticated with a VNeID electronic identification account” by Dec. 31. VNeID is the electronic identification app run by Việt Nam’s police.
- However, no regulation sets out any penalty or restriction for accounts that are not linked after the deadline.
- The decree was issued Aug. 13 and took effect Sept. 28.
The 12 Sectors: The 12 designated sectors are:
- Education
- The “digital literacy for all” campaign
- Securities
- Telecommunications
- Banking
- E-commerce (including sellers, livestream sellers, and affiliate marketers)
- Electronic invoices
- Transport services
- Tourism services
- Pharmaceutical businesses
- Medical examination and treatment
- Social networks operating in Việt Nam
From the Police: On Oct. 11, Công an Nhân dân, the police’s official newspaper, published an article titled “VNeID and distorted claims about identification and information linking.”
The publication labeled several views as distortions, specifically claims that:
- Electronic identification means “total control” and “surveillance of citizens.”
- Linking data means “pooling it in one place” for the state to exploit without limit.
- Account authentication means “controlling every statement on the internet.”
- Việt Nam is “going against global trends.”
The article argued that “electronic identification does not mean total surveillance; connecting data does not mean unlimited rights to exploit it; authenticating users does not mean stripping away freedom of expression.”
The Background: In 2025, the police ministry proposed upgrading VNeID into a “national digital super-platform.”
- The ministry also stated that it would create a social network where 100% of users are assigned an identification code through the VNeID app.
Backing this direction, President Tô Lâm said that identifying users is meant to “reduce fake and negative information on social media” and ensure “everyone is responsible for what they do.”
Thành Phương wrote this news article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on October 12, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine translated it into English.
