Intensifying inspections to clean up the digital environment

On May 5, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung signed Official Dispatch No.38/CD-TTg, calling for decisive implementation of measures to combat, prevent and handle intellectual property infringements. The move is seen as a strong Government effort to deliver tangible improvements in intellectual property protection, particularly as violations in the digital environment become increasingly complex, sophisticated and widespread.

According to the dispatch, efforts to combat, prevent and handle intellectual property infringements have made positive progress in recent years. Relevant authorities have implemented a range of coordinated measures and detected and handled numerous violations, helping curb infringements and protect the legitimate rights and interests of individuals, businesses and related organisations.

To achieve a stronger and more tangible improvement in the effectiveness of intellectual property enforcement, Official Dispatch No.38/CD-TTg requires ministries, sectors and localities to urgently implement a comprehensive set of measures. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been tasked with immediately organising inspections of businesses’ compliance with copyright regulations for computer software, while stepping up checks on films, music, television programmes and video games distributed online.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the Viet Nam - the Republic of Korea Copyright Forum 2026, held on the morning of May 7, Pham Thi Kim Oanh, Deputy Director of the Copyright Office under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that immediately after the Government issued Official Dispatch No.38/CD-TTg, relevant ministries and agencies, including the Copyright Office, had urgently coordinated with competent authorities to develop plans for inspections, reviews and enforcement action against copyright infringements.

Alongside inspections, the authorities have immediately launched communications activities and issued recommendations to individuals, organisations and businesses, urging strict compliance with regulations on copyright and related rights when exploiting and using creative works.

Businesses and content operators have therefore been asked to proactively review their entire processes for using computer software, music, films, television programmes and gaming products to ensure that all use and exploitation comply with copyright regulations and the law. In particular, they must exercise strict control over the sources of incoming content to ensure that only legitimate material is used and that products infringing intellectual property rights are neither used nor distributed.

“As State agencies are taking decisive measures to strengthen the enforcement of copyright and intellectual property laws, all violations will be dealt with strictly. The principle is that there will be no prohibited areas and no exceptions for infringements of copyright and related rights in the digital environment,” she added.

In another notable move to strengthen intellectual property enforcement online, the Deputy Director of the Copyright Office said that a signing ceremony for a cooperation programme between the Copyright Office and the Department of Cybersecurity and Hi-Tech Crime Prevention under the Ministry of Public Security would take place on the afternoon of May 7. The programme will focus on strengthening the management and enforcement of copyright and related rights in the digital environment during the 2026 - 2029 period.

The cooperation programme aims to leverage the respective strengths of the two agencies in carrying out their state management responsibilities, improve mechanisms for protecting rights holders’ legitimate rights and interests, encourage creative activity, and promote the lawful exploitation, use of and access to works, performances, sound recordings, audiovisual recordings and broadcasts in cyberspace. It is also expected to contribute to the development of Viet Nam’s cultural industries and support international integration.

According to Pham Thi Kim Oanh, the cooperation will focus on strengthening copyright enforcement in the digital environment through investigative activities and legal consultations to ensure that violations are dealt with rigorously. Closer coordination between the copyright management authority and the specialised cybersecurity force is expected to improve the detection, tracing and handling of infringements in the digital environment, where violations are often complex and cross-border in nature.

Game businesses urged to take a proactive approach to copyright protection

Under Viet Nam’s strategy for developing cultural industries, the gaming industry has been identified as a key area because of the considerable creative potential of its young workforce. However, it also faces significant copyright protection challenges, as gaming products incorporate multiple types of protected content and are primarily distributed and used online.

Providing further information on the issue, Pham Thi Kim Oanh said Vietnamese game businesses needed to pay particular attention to protecting their legitimate rights and interests while respecting the copyrights of their partners in the content and materials they use. Using unlicensed data, images, audio, software or other content not only carries the risk of legal violations but can also directly damage a business’s reputation and competitiveness in international markets.

“Through cooperation forums such as the Viet Nam - the Republic of Korea Copyright Forum 2026, the authorities are also working to update businesses on new legal developments and create networking opportunities, enabling them to take a more proactive approach to exploiting and protecting copyright internationally,” she said.

Regarding the legal framework, Pham Thi Kim Oanh said Viet Nam had joined eight of the nine multilateral international treaties on copyright and related rights, while copyright provisions were included in 17 free trade agreements. The domestic intellectual property legal system has also been progressively improved, including through amendments to the Law on Intellectual Property and Decree No.134/2026/ND-CP, which amends and supplements several provisions of Decree No.17/2023/ND-CP detailing certain provisions of, and measures for implementing, the Law on Intellectual Property concerning copyright and related rights.

However, she stressed that effective intellectual property protection in the coming period would require coordinated action from three groups: rights holders, businesses and enforcement authorities.

“Copyright infringement in the digital environment is not only a problem for Viet Nam but also for countries around the world. Protection can only become truly effective and robust when all parties work together,” Pham Thi Kim Oanh emphasised.

According to Official Dispatch No.38/CD-TTg, intellectual property infringements remain a complex issue in certain sectors and localities. Such violations not only directly affect the investment and business environment but also undermine business confidence and adversely affect the country’s reputation as it pursues international integration.