Vietnam’s new decree on the internet take effect tomorrow despite the complaints. It sparked debate because according to the government the rules are intended to protect IP and stop copying, but the effect say various critics is to hinder free speech.
Social media and blogging sites are only permitted to contain personal information. There is a series of proscribed activities such as “disparaging the nation's customs and traditions.” The worry is that the broadly drafted rules will be used to stop online criticism of the government.
AmCham has expressed concern that business will be impacted too. The official communist newspaper Nhan Dan has issued a defense of the need to protect against those attacking the government and some local copyright holders have suggested it will prevent for example game software violation. Vietnam is still a strongly centrally planned country and there appears to be some concern that social media enables too much free speech for their liking. Whether this decree is actually used to genuinely stop IPR violation online should become pretty clear as months go by.
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