In a notice issued May 6, the Copyright Office under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism instructed enterprises and individuals operating in computer software, film, music, publishing, journalism, broadcasting, and video games to stop using unlicensed software and halt unauthorized use of copyrighted works, performances, sound recordings, audiovisual recordings, and broadcast programs.
Businesses and individuals must conduct internal reviews to ensure full compliance with copyright and related rights regulations in their professional activities.
The notice implements Official Dispatch No. 38, signed May 5 by Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung on behalf of the Prime Minister, which directs every ministry, sector, and province to coordinate enforcement actions targeting piracy in films, music, video games, and television, with particular focus on dismantling high-traffic infringing websites.
Apps on an app store. Photo by Read/Viet Tuan |
Under Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Law, a computer program is defined as a set of instructions expressed as commands, code, or other formats that, when embedded in a device operated by a programming language, can cause that device to perform specific tasks. Computer programs are protected as literary works regardless of whether they exist as source code or machine code.
Organizations and individuals who legally use a copy of a computer program may make one backup copy to replace the original if it is deleted, damaged, or rendered unusable, but they may not transfer that backup to another party. Where a computer program is provided as a service or through an online platform, the creation of backup copies is governed by the terms of use or licensing agreement between the parties.
The Ministry of Public Security has been assigned to lead investigations and prosecutions of serious infringements involving copyright, related rights, trademarks, and geographical indications. Police have also been ordered to dismantle websites and the organizations behind them, particularly platforms distributing pirated films, music, mobile games, and television programs in Vietnamese and foreign languages.
The Ministry of National Defense has been instructed to direct the Border Guard and Coast Guard to coordinate with police and local authorities in intercepting violations at borders and at sea. The Supreme People’s Procuracy and the Supreme People’s Court are required to accelerate prosecution and adjudication of intellectual property cases, with emphasis on handling exemplary cases to strengthen deterrence.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which oversees the Copyright Office, will conduct compliance inspections of software copyright at enterprises and copyright compliance for films, music, television programs, and video games online. Serious violations will be handled directly by the ministry or referred to other agencies for action.
The May campaign builds on a broader intellectual property enforcement push that has accelerated through 2026. Vietnam’s amended Intellectual Property Law took effect April 1, introducing new mechanisms that allow rights holders to request that internet service providers immediately remove infringing content from their networks.
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