Vietnam prosecutes software piracy cases, citing existing laws

Vietnamese authorities have initiated legal action concerning the use of pirated software, clarifying that this enforcement is based on existing laws, not new regulations. The move aims to rectify a situation where prolonged non-enforcement has created an uneven playing field, disadvantaging businesses that invest in legitimate software licenses. The law, which has protected computer programs as intellectual property since 2018, includes provisions for criminal liability for commercial-scale copyright infringement. For years, this law was rarely invoked, leading to a perception that compliance was optional. This extended period of lax enforcement, however, has had significant consequences. Businesses that paid for software faced higher costs, while those using pirated versions gained a competitive advantage through lower expenses. This dynamic effectively turned legal compliance into a disadvantage. The current enforcement campaign is framed not as an increase in strictness, but as the state reaffirming its own laws and restoring fairness for those who have consistently adhered to copyright regulations. The authorities argue that this action does not take away from anyone but rather closes the chapter on a decade-long practice of using pirated software and removes the unfair advantage previously enjoyed by infringers. The prosecution of copyright violations is thus seen as a step toward ensuring the law is applied as intended.