Vietnamese law on handling violations of personal data protection: Current status and solutions

Amid extensive digital transformation, personal data has become a resource of substantial economic and social value while also being increasingly exposed to unlawful collection, trading, disclosure, and loss. The enactment of the 2025 Law on Personal Data Protection marked an important development in establishing administrative, criminal, and civil mechanisms for handling violations. However, practical implementation still faces significant gaps, particularly inconsistencies between the Law and its implementing regulations, difficulties in determining damages, and limitations in enforcement capacity. This study analyzes current Vietnamese legal provisions on violations of personal data protection, identifies shortcomings in their practical application, and proposes solutions to improve the legal framework and strengthen the effective protection of data subjects’ rights.