Facebook account registration requires phone numbers, as shown on a smartphone in Vietnam. Photo by Read/Luu Quy
A governmental decree requiring social media accounts to be verified with phone numbers takes effect starting Wednesday, and service providers will have 90 days to get it done.
The decree on the management and use of the Internet and online information, issued by the government last month, requires service providers to verify the accounts of social media users using Vietnamese phone numbers. If phone numbers are not available, accounts can be verified using personal ID numbers.
“[The decree] ensures that only verified accounts can upload information, such as writing posts, commenting, livestreaming and sharing on social media,” the decree stated.
Organizations and businesses that provide social media services will have 90 days to report back to the Ministry of Information and Communications, including the total number of access into the service from Vietnam, the monthly number of frequent users, as well as other statistics recorded over six months.
The decree will only apply to services with over 100,000 monthly access, or services that use data storage services in Vietnam. After 90 days, businesses and organizations that do not abide by the policy will be dealt with, the decree said.
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