Students use smart devices during a lesson in a classroom at Nguyễn Du Primary School in the central province of Hà Tĩnh. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Ngà

By Nguyễn Hằng

HÀ NỘI — Experts have recommended striking a balance between ensuring children’s safety in cyberspace and safeguarding their right to learn and create online, following a proposal to restrict social media use by children under 16 in Việt Nam in a draft decree amending Decree 147 on internet and online information management.

Under the draft amendments, users under 16 would still be able to access online content, but social media platforms would be required to introduce technical measures to prevent this group from posting, commenting, sharing or reacting to content on social media.

This is not the first effort to regulate children’s use of social media in Việt Nam.

Since 2024, children under 16 wishing to use social media accounts have been required to have a parent or legal guardian register the account on their behalf and take responsibility for supervising their online activities.

Building on that framework, the new draft proposes further restrictions on children’s ability to interact on social media.

The proposal could be seen as a middle ground between a complete ban on children using social media and unrestricted access, aimed at strengthening children’s online safety.

Dr Gordon Ingram, a senior lecturer in psychology at RMIT University Việt Nam, said this approach could help protect vulnerable young people from exploitation.

One potential benefit of limiting interactions is reducing children's exposure to online risks.

“Child safety is a key benefit, since if children are not leaving a digital footprint online, they are less vulnerable to adult predators, whether through sexual grooming, financial scams or radicalisation,” Ingram said.

He also noted that passive social media use could be less addictive because it removes some of the social rewards and dopamine hits associated with likes and comments.

However, he said the restrictions could also lead some children to experience reduced social interaction and feel upset because they are not trusted to use social media without restrictions.

Dr Ingram also warned that limiting interactions could have unintended consequences.

“Psychologists have long believed that passive use or ‘doomscrolling’ can be more dangerous than active use. Active use tends to involve forming meaningful social connections, whereas passive use is like channel surfing on TV — a negative, unfulfilling way to spend time,” he said.

He also said some teenagers might try to circumvent the rules by creating accounts as belonging to adults or moving to alternative platforms and private groups, where parents and guardians would find it harder to monitor their online activities.

In such cases, child-specific safeguards, such as stricter privacy settings or restrictions on contact by strangers, may no longer apply.

He added that Vietnamese policymakers should ensure that children and young people, particularly those from vulnerable or marginalised groups who may find it easier to connect with people online than offline, have a meaningful opportunity to participate in discussions about regulations that will directly affect their digital lives.

A police officer instructs students on how to raise awareness of cybersecurity and online safety at a local school in Bình Minh Commune in the southern province of Đồng Nai. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Xuân

Combining multiple measures

Đặng Hoa Nam, vice chairman of the Việt Nam Association for the Protection of Children’s Rights, said there are two parallel issues to consider.

The first is ensuring children’s safety online, while the second is ensuring their right to learn and create in cyberspace, he said.

“Today, society is moving towards lifelong learning. And lifelong learning does not always take place at school — people also learn through the internet. The question is thus how to ensure these rights are harmonised.”

Nam said the decree should first clearly assign responsibilities to strike a balance between protecting children and enabling them to participate and create online.

Too much responsibility should not be placed on parents and teachers, he said, as they cannot keep pace with the rapid development of technology.

Parents and teachers should provide support, but they also need clear and detailed guidance to enable them to supervise their children effectively.

According to Nam, the primary responsibility should rest with technology companies and platforms.

The decree should also clearly stipulate that businesses and technology platforms are legally responsible when children are harmed or abused online, he said.

Requirements should be strengthened to ensure that businesses and technology platforms prevent risks that could expose children to harm or abuse in cyberspace.

Dr Huo Chong Ling, a senior lecturer in software engineering at RMIT University Việt Nam, said that social media regulations should be supported by effective age verification measures, platform accountability and parental involvement.

He added that combining different protective measures would be more effective than simply restricting children’s ability to post, comment or interact.

“Not every online interaction is harmful. A teenager sharing artwork with classmates is very different from communicating with strangers in a public Facebook group. A blanket ban on all interactions does not distinguish between these situations,” he said.

The more important concern is who children interact with and what types of content they are exposed to, he said.

Risks such as cyberbullying, online scams, contact from unknown adults and recommendation algorithms repeatedly promoting harmful content are generally more serious than allowing a child to post a comment.

The RMIT expert said the goal should not be to prevent children from interacting online altogether, but to make their online experience safer while allowing them to access useful information and educational content.

Regulators need to set clear standards for child safety, while platforms must integrate these safeguards into privacy settings, parental controls and safer platform design.

“That combination is likely to provide more effective protection for young users,” he said.

The role of technology

Nam said that businesses and technology platforms should use AI, big data and data repositories to detect early signs and risks that could threaten children’s safety online. They should also share this information with relevant Government authorities, including the Ministry of Public Security, the national child protection hotline 111, schools and parents, so that they can coordinate measures to protect children.

“Waiting until an incident has occurred before taking action is simply too late. To prevent such risks, AI can play a significant role in addressing this issue,” Nam said.

Some technology platforms have already begun doing this by scanning for keywords and immediately issuing warnings when language deemed inappropriate for children under 16 is detected.

“What is needed is to strengthen the responsibility of businesses and technology platforms,” he said.

If a platform or business fails to use technological measures to prevent risks, it should face sanctions, Nam said.

He said the clearer the legal requirements governing the responsibilities of businesses and technology platforms, the better, adding that the State should closely monitor their compliance and establish sanctions for violations.

Meanwhile, Dr Ling said this is where technology needs to play its role.

“Private accounts by default, blocking messages from strangers, tighter controls over who can comment, AI systems that detect bullying or grooming attempts, screen time reminders and parental supervision tools can all reduce risk while still allowing young people to benefit from social media,” he said.

The draft decree comprises 37 articles amending and supplementing several provisions of Decree 147, prepared by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. One group of policies focuses on protecting children in the digital environment.

For social media, Articles 9 and 12 of the draft propose that platforms introduce technical measures to identify users under 16 and distribute age-appropriate content. In particular, social media platforms would be required to ensure that users under 16 cannot post, comment, share or react to content on the social media services they provide.

Accounts for children under 16 would be registered using information provided by their parents or guardians, who would be responsible for supervising and managing the content accessed by children and the amount of time they spend on social media.

The draft decree on the management and use of the internet is still being revised and finalised by the ministry before being submitted to the Government for issuance. — VNS