Vietnam Weighs Social Media Limits for Under-16s as Calls Grow for Child-Friendly Digital Platforms

As governments around the world grapple with the impact of social media on children, Vietnam is considering stricter restrictions for users under 16, alongside proposals to create safer digital platforms designed specifically for young people.

The debate comes as countries including Australia tighten online safety regulations, reflecting growing international concern over the effects of algorithm-driven social media on children’s mental health, attention spans, and cognitive development.

Speaking about the issue, Vietnamese lawmaker and digital policy researcher Dr. Trinh Thi Tu Anh argued that limiting children’s access to mainstream social media should be seriously studied, but warned that bans alone are unlikely to succeed.

“Restrictions must be supported by evidence and accompanied by practical alternatives,” she said.

Australia’s landmark law, which took effect in December 2025, prohibits children under 16 from creating accounts on major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Reddit. However, Dr. Tu Anh noted that the policy has produced mixed results, with many young users continuing to access social media while others reported feeling increasingly isolated from their peers.

According to her, Vietnam should avoid relying solely on prohibition.

“If restrictions are introduced without effective age verification, digital education, and safe online alternatives, children may simply migrate to anonymous or less regulated platforms,” she said.

Vietnam already requires parents or legal guardians to register social media accounts for children under 16 under Decree 147/2024. However, Dr. Tu Anh argued that responsibility cannot rest entirely with families.

Instead, she believes technology companies should bear greater legal responsibility for designing products that are safe for younger users, particularly as many global platforms generate significant revenue from Vietnamese audiences.

Among her proposals is the development of child-friendly versions of social media and digital platforms rather than simply labeling existing services as suitable for children.

She suggested these platforms should feature independently monitored recommendation algorithms, built-in screen time limits, stronger privacy protections, and a complete ban on behavior-based advertising targeting users under 18.

Beyond platform design, she also called for Vietnam to invest in a national digital learning ecosystem where children can interact safely online while developing critical thinking skills and digital literacy.

Another recommendation is to make digital citizenship a compulsory part of the national school curriculum. Rather than focusing solely on software skills, students would learn how to recognize misinformation, protect personal data, understand online manipulation, and manage healthy technology use.

Dr. Tu Anh also proposed a broader legal framework centered on four pillars: shifting legal responsibility toward technology platforms, introducing mandatory age-based content classification, establishing an independent system to monitor children’s online safety, and eventually adopting a dedicated law on protecting children in digital spaces.

Her comments reflect a growing global shift in online safety policy. Regulators in Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia are increasingly moving beyond parental controls and asking whether technology companies themselves should be legally responsible for designing digital products that prioritize children’s wellbeing over user engagement.

For Vietnam, the discussion signals a broader ambition to build a safer digital environment as internet use among children continues to grow, while balancing online opportunities with stronger protections for the country’s next generation of digital citizens.