Vietnam proposes muted social media access for children under 16
9 reported
Vietnam is considering a draft decree that would restrict social media access for users under 16 by muting their ability to post, comment, or react, rather than banning them entirely. The proposal, reported by Reuters on Friday, would require accounts for children under 16 to be registered under a parent, who would monitor content and time spent on platforms. Social media companies would need to deploy technical measures to identify child users and restrict them to age-appropriate content. Deputy Culture Minister Phan Tam stated the goal is to ensure an age-appropriate environment, not to ban or excessively restrict access. The decree has not been finalized and could be revised before adoption. Vietnam is also considering separate gaming restrictions that would cap play for under-16 users at 60 minutes per day per game with the same parental registration requirement. The article notes that Vietnam is one of many countries, including Australia, France, and others, that have announced or implemented similar restrictions on youth social media access.
What’s reported
Vietnam’s draft decree would let users under 16 keep social media accounts but lose ability to post, comment, or react.
Accounts for children under 16 must be registered under a parent, who monitors content and time spent.
Social media platforms must deploy technical measures to identify child users and restrict them to age-appropriate content.
Deputy Culture Minister Phan Tam said the goal is an age-appropriate environment, not a ban.
The decree has not been finalized and could be revised before adoption.
Vietnam is also considering gaming restrictions capping under-16 play at 60 minutes per day per game.
Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16 in December 2025.
France passed a law on July 21 banning social media for anyone under 15, effective as soon as September 1.
Other countries with bans or proposals include Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, and the UK.
Key figures
Phan Tam, Deputy Culture Minister of Vietnam
Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greek Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish President
Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister
Sources: TechCrunch
