The legal framework governing online advertising in Vietnam: Recent reforms and recommendations for improvement

The rapid growth of digital technologies, social media, and online platforms has transformed advertising practices in Vietnam while creating major regulatory challenges. Although online advertising improves market reach and content personalization, it also increases false and misleading claims and complicates the allocation of responsibility among advertisers, KOLs, KOCs, content creators, affiliate marketers, and cross-border platforms. This study analyzes recent amendments to Vietnam’s advertising law and compares them with selected international approaches. The findings indicate that the revised framework expands regulatory coverage and strengthens participant responsibilities, but shortcomings remain in platform accountability, cross-border enforcement, content verification, consumer protection, and sanctions. The study recommends clarifying the duties of digital intermediaries and influencers, strengthening advertising-identification and verification requirements, improving data-sharing mechanisms, and enhancing international cooperation and enforcement capacity.