Legal reform: Vietnam's advertising world in upheaval! Experts warn!

Legal reform: Vietnam's advertising world in upheaval! Experts warn!

On May 10, 2025, a comprehensive round of deliberations on the bill amending the Advertising Law was held in the National Assembly of Vietnam. This session was accompanied by lively discussions and a significant amount of feedback, with 13 comments from MEPs and two written comments. The majority of MPs expressed their agreement with the proposed changes, which aim to overcome the current shortcomings of the Advertising Law, which has existed since 2012, and to institutionalize the development of cultural industries, including the advertising industry. The requirements for advertising content, the prohibition of certain behaviors and the state's responsibility in the management of advertising activities were also discussed. It is important to link the bill with Law No. 42/2024/QH15 to increase the effectiveness of the content.

In particular, the changes include proposals to convert Clause 15, Article 1, into a section specifically dealing with online advertising. This is particularly relevant as experts see current regulation as inadequate to address developments in online sales and the influence of social media. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the shortcomings of the existing advertising law have been acknowledged. The ministry will be tasked with finalizing the draft law to align Vietnam's advertising regulations with international standards and protect consumer rights.

Important changes for advertising in the digital age

The bill amending several provisions of the Advertising Act is also seen by MPs as necessary to strengthen control over social media marketing. This bill, discussed in October 2024 during the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly, addresses the major challenges created by international social networks such as Meta, Google and TikTok in Vietnam's advertising market. These platforms currently control around 70% of the market, necessitating further regulatory action.

Vietnam's advertising market generated nearly $2.3 billion in revenue in 2023, with online advertising alone accounting for about $1.21 billion. The Vietnam Advertising Association predicts that this revenue could rise to $3 billion to $4 billion next year. In addition, new rules are to be introduced for influencers and companies in the online advertising market in order to increase transparency and protect consumers from misleading advertising. A central point of the bill is the revision of the definition of advertising product carriers to include social network actors and the introduction of stricter regulations for influencers.

Protecting consumer rights and combating false advertising

The proposed changes also aim to tighten penalties for false advertising emanating from influencers or other advertisers. The aim is to better protect consumers from inferior products and legal violations, for example in connection with gambling and illegal loans. The obligation for foreign companies to comply with local regulations and remove illegal content will also be strengthened to protect the integrity of the Vietnamese market.

The upcoming changes in the Advertising Law therefore represent a decisive step towards fair and transparent regulation of the Vietnamese advertising market that takes into account the needs of a rapidly developing digital environment.

For further information about the current status of the planned changes to the law, visit vietnam.vn and aslgate.com.