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Vietnam cracks down on illegal football, movie websites
🇻🇳 Vietnam /Sports

Vietnam cracks down on illegal football, movie websites

From Thanh Niên · () Vietnamese

Translated from Vietnamese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security is cracking down on intellectual property infringement, targeting illegal websites for football streaming and pirated movies.
  • In just one month, authorities have shut down 194 websites and initiated 56 criminal cases, prosecuting 98 individuals for copyright and industrial property violations.
  • The ministry is also addressing the rise of AI-powered scams and urging public vigilance against online fraud.

Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security is intensifying its fight against intellectual property theft, with a particular focus on illegal online content. Authorities have launched a nationwide campaign targeting websites that infringe on copyrights, including those illegally streaming football matches and offering pirated movies.

Major General Nguyen Quoc Toan, spokesperson for the ministry, announced at a government press conference that the crackdown, initiated under Prime Minister's Directive 38, has yielded significant results in its first month. Police at all levels have been actively involved in identifying and prosecuting violations.

"We are completing legal frameworks in two directions: reviewing and forecasting violations, and strengthening sanctions to increase deterrence," Major General Toan explained. The ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to amend laws related to administrative violations and the criminal code.

We are completing legal frameworks in two directions: reviewing and forecasting violations, and strengthening sanctions to increase deterrence.

— Major General Nguyen Quoc ToanExplaining the Ministry of Public Security's strategy to combat intellectual property violations.

So far, authorities have processed 194 websites, including 8 for film streaming, 27 for industrial property infringement, and 159 for illegal football broadcasts. Criminal charges have been filed in 56 cases, involving 98 defendants accused of copyright, related rights, industrial property, or counterfeit goods offenses. Administrative fines have also been levied against approximately 216 individuals, totaling over 850 million Vietnamese dong.

Beyond copyright issues, the ministry is also addressing the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes used for fraud. Major General Toan acknowledged the global challenge posed by rapidly evolving technology and the borderless nature of cyberspace. The ministry is proactively identifying and combating cybercrime, including the illegal collection and sale of data. Citizens are urged to enhance their vigilance and digital literacy to protect themselves from online scams.

This is a global issue, not just for Vietnam, because cyberspace is a borderless environment.

— Major General Nguyen Quoc ToanAddressing the challenges posed by AI-generated fraud and the nature of cyberspace.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Thanh Niên in Vietnamese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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