Vietnam moves to bar under-16s from posting, commenting on social media

Vietnam is planning to require social media platforms to stop users under the age of 16 from posting content, commenting or reacting to posts, under a draft decree aimed at strengthening online protections for children, according to a document reviewed by Reuters.The proposed rules would require social media accounts belonging to children under 16 to be registered using the information of a parent or legal guardian, who would be responsible for supervising the content viewed by children and the amount of time they spend on the platforms.The draft decree also requires social media companies to use technical measures to identify child users and ensure that they receive age-appropriate content. Platforms would have to provide the highest level of privacy protection for child accounts and proactively detect, warn and block access to content related to violence, pornography, gambling, drugs, suicide and other harmful material."The primary objective is not to ban or excessively restrict children's access to social media, but rather to ensure that when children use social media services, they are placed in an age-appropriate environment and protected from inappropriate risks," deputy cult...