Vietnam Proposes Stricter Regulations to Combat Spam Calls and Messages

Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security has unveiled a draft decree aimed at combating spam messages, emails, and calls, seeking to enhance privacy protection for citizens and mitigate the impact of nuisance advertising. This new decree, intended to replace the current Decree 91/2020, significantly tightens regulations for advertisers. During its six years of implementation, authorities have observed a growing demand for privacy protection, reflected in the increasing number of citizens registering for the 'DoNotCall' list to opt out of promotional calls and messages. Nationwide, nearly 9.5 million subscribers have registered for DoNotCall, with over 6 million registrations in 2025 alone, highlighting significant public concern over the right to refuse advertising. To further strengthen citizens' choice, the draft decree clarifies regulations regarding the timing and frequency of advertising communications. It maintains the strict prohibition against advertisers contacting any phone number registered on the DoNotCall list. For subscribers not on this list, advertisers are now proposed to be allowed to send only one initial and sole message to request consent for advertising. This message must be sent between 7 AM and 10 PM and include essential information such as advertiser identification, the request for consent to receive advertising, and methods for users to agree or decline. The message must also be labeled according to anti-spam regulations. Crucially, if the subscriber does not confirm their consent within 24 hours of receiving this initial message, the advertiser is prohibited from sending further advertising messages to that number. Silence will be interpreted as a refusal. If a citizen explicitly opts out, advertisers must comply strictly. For individuals registering for the DoNotCall list, the Ministry proposes mandatory registration using verified phone numbers to ensure accuracy and prevent unauthorized registrations and cancellations. The draft also stipulates that businesses can only send advertising messages or make advertising calls after obtaining a Brandname and are prohibited from using regular phone numbers for these purposes. This means organizations and businesses making advertising or customer care calls must register and display their Brandname on the recipient's device screen. This will enable citizens to easily distinguish legitimate calls from spam or fraudulent ones before answering. Furthermore, individuals making advertising calls must introduce themselves with their full name, position, and the unit they represent, and clearly state any charges at the beginning of the call. The basic frequency regulations are maintained: an advertiser cannot send more than three advertising messages to a single phone number, three advertising emails to an email address, or make one advertising phone call to a phone number within a 24-hour period. Advertising messages are permitted only between 7 AM and 10 PM daily, and advertising phone calls between 8 AM and 5 PM daily. The draft decree is currently open for public consultation until September 18 and is projected to come into effect on January 1, 2027.