The Vietnam Competition Commission (VCC) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued an official invitation to VNG Corporation regarding the collection, use, and sharing of user data on the Zalo platform.
The meeting is scheduled for the morning of December 31, to clarify issues related to consumer protection and data privacy.
The VCC seeks to ensure the proper management of consumer rights and requests VNG to provide a comprehensive report on several key aspects of their operations. Specifically, VNG is asked to provide fundamental legal information about the company, including its legal status, its role in owning, managing and operating the Zalo platform in Vietnam, and details regarding the platform’s user base.
Additionally, VNG is required to submit all relevant documents pertaining to the terms of service currently applied to individual users of Zalo in Vietnam, along with any updates made over the last 12 months. For each version of the terms, the VCC requests details about the date of issuance, its effective date, and the method of publication to users.
The commission also requires VNG to clarify its procedures for modifying and updating its terms of service, including how users are notified, the process for obtaining user consent, and the consequences if users refuse to accept the updated terms.
Furthermore, it demands that VNG provide full documentation regarding the collection, processing, storage, sharing, and protection of Zalo users' data. If VNG has not issued a specific document outlining its data protection policy, the VCC asks for clarification on where and how users can access and fully understand the handling of their personal data.
The VCC also requests VNG to report on the operational processes of providing services to individual users online, the process of informing them throughout their service usage, and the options available to them when agreeing or disagreeing with policies related to personal information.
According to the Consumer Protection Law 2023, organisations and individuals conducting business are required to ensure the safety and confidentiality of consumer information during its collection, storage, use, modification, and sharing. Information collection can only occur with user consent, unless otherwise stipulated by law. Additionally, any use of consumer information must align with the purposes previously disclosed and approved by the consumer.
Notably, the law also requires full transparency of terms and conditions, and any amendments to these terms must be clearly informed to users before being implemented. The law guarantees the fundamental right of consumers to ensure their personal information remains private, secure, and under their control.
Earlier, Zalo faced public scrutiny over its controversial data collection practices, particularly the stipulation that users who disagree with the terms of the service agreement would be unable to continue using the platform. This has raised significant concerns about user consent and data privacy./.
