Vietnam Fines TikTok, Zalo $82K Over Data Consent Violations
Vietnam's first major enforcement under its 2026 Personal Data Protection Law fines TikTok and Zalo $82K for failing to provide user consent options, affecting 148M users.
Vietnam's competition watchdog has fined TikTok and domestic messaging app Zalo a combined 1.69 billion dong (~US$82,600) for violating consumer protection rules on user data collection, affecting platforms with a combined reach of approximately 148 million users.
TikTok received an 880 million dong penalty (US$43,000), while VNG, operator of Zalo, was fined 810 million dong (US$39,600). The enforcement action marks one of Vietnam's first major regulatory moves under its new Personal Data Protection Law, which took effect in early 2026.
What Triggered the Fines
The penalties followed widespread user complaints about Zalo's December 2025 service terms update, which gave the platform's 78 million users an ultimatum: accept all data collection, storage, and sharing provisions or face account deletion within 45 days.
The "all-or-nothing" approach prevented users from selectively opting out of specific data practices. This prompted many Vietnamese users to seek alternative messaging platforms and generated significant public backlash.
TikTok, which serves 70 million monthly active users in Vietnam, faced similar violations for failing to provide adequate consent mechanisms.
Specific Violations Identified
According to the watchdog, both platforms failed to provide mechanisms allowing consumers to choose whether their data could be used for advertising or commercial purposes. Zalo specifically lacked options for users to select the scope of information they consented to provide.
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The new regulations require companies to obtain explicit user consent for collecting personal data, including basic information like phone numbers and names, as well as sensitive data such as identity documents and GPS location.
Implications for Digital Platforms
Phat Tran, managing lawyer at Henrison Law, noted that this regulatory shift threatens traditional digital platform business models that relied on implicit consent and third-party data sharing.
He recommends that companies offer multiple consent options, provide plain-language summaries of data practices, and clearly explain user control mechanisms to comply with the new standards.
The fines, while modest in monetary terms, signal Vietnam's intent to enforce its Personal Data Protection Law and its guiding decree. The regulations represent a significant shift in Southeast Asia's data privacy landscape, requiring digital platforms to fundamentally rethink how they obtain and manage user consent.
Both TikTok and VNG have substantial commercial operations in Vietnam, making compliance with local data protection standards essential for continued market access.
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