Decree No. 58/2016/ND-CP dated July 2016 regulates the sale and provision of civil encryption products and services as well as the export or import of civil encryption products. According to the Decree, corporations who want to export and import civil encryption products are requested to apply for the export and import license. Annex 1 of the Decree lists products and services within the scope of the decree including:
-Biometric encryption products, encryption key management or storage items;
-Cryptographic components of a PKI system;
-Stored data security products;
-Online data security products;
-IP and channel security products;
-Analog and digital voice security products;
-Wireless security products;
-Facsimile and telegraph security products;
-Information protection services utilizing civil
encryption products;
-Civil encryption testing and evaluation services;
-Network data security consulting services utilizing civil encryption products.
In addition, Annex 2 of the Decree lists civil encryption products to be exported and imported under license: HS8443, HS 8471, HS8473, HS8517, HS8523, HS8525, HS8526, HS 8529, HS8542, HS854.

Law No. 86/2015/QH13 imposes restrictions and conditions on entities engaging in the import, export, and trade of various network information security products with encryption capabilities. It has been reported that applications for import permits are cumbersome, and involve licenses, certificates of conformity, product specifications, copies of commercial invoices, and copies of commercial contracts or documentary evidence. In addition, Decree No.108/2016/ND-CP stipulates in detail the conditions for trade in network information security products and services related to Law No. 86/2015/Qh13. According to Art. 4.2 of the Decree, the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) is assigned to make a list of network information security products to be imported upon license. Upon the Decree, MIC issued Circular No.13/2018/TT-BTTTT. The Circular regulates the list of network information security products to be imported upon licenses and procedures, and dossiers for import licensing. The information network security products to be imported upon license include: (i) HS847130 (portable digital automatic data processing machines); (ii) HS847141 (automatic data processing machines and units); (iii) HS847149 (digital automatic data processing machines and units).

Decree No. 58/2016/ND-CP dated July 2016 regulates the sale and provision of civil encryption products and services as well as the export or import of civil encryption products. According to the Decree, corporations who want to export and import civil encryption products are requested to apply for the export and import license. Annex 1 of the Decree lists products and services within the scope of the decree including:
-Biometric encryption products, encryption key management or storage items;
-Cryptographic components of a PKI system;
-Stored data security products;
-Online data security products;
-IP and channel security products;
-Analog and digital voice security products;
-Wireless security products;
-Facsimile and telegraph security products;
-Information protection services utilizing civil
encryption products;
-Civil encryption testing and evaluation services;
-Network data security consulting services utilizing civil encryption products.
In addition, Annex 2 of the Decree lists civil encryption products to be exported and imported under license: HS8443, HS 8471, HS8473, HS8517, HS8523, HS8525, HS8526, HS 8529, HS8542, HS854.

In November 2013, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 187/2013/ND-CP on the implementation of Commercial Law regarding international trade in goods and activities of international agents relating to buying, selling, outsourcing, and transiting of goods. The Decree detailed a list of products to be banned from importation or to be required with an import license. Annex 2 of Decree 187/2013/ND-CP listed goods that require an import license. These include (i) Goods that need import control according to the provisions of international treaties to which Vietnam is a member; (ii) Radio transmitting and receiving equipment with a frequency band from 9KHz to 400 GHz, with a capacity of 60 mW or more. In May 2018, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP on Detailed provisions on a number of articles of the Commercial Law. The Decree replaced Decree No. 187. However, the list of import licensing requirements is reallocated to Annex 3 of the Decree 69/2018/ND-CP.

Vietnam's Law on Network Information Security (Law 86/2015/QH13), effective from July 1, 2016, places restrictions and conditions on entities involved in the import, export, and trade of network information security products with encryption capabilities. This law requires importers to navigate a complex process for obtaining import permits, involving licenses, certificates of conformity, product specifications, commercial invoices, and contracts.

Decree No.108/2016/ND-CP further outlines the conditions for trading network information security products and services in accordance with Law No. 86/2015/QH13. Article 4.2 designates the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) to compile a list of network information security products requiring import licenses. Following the issuance of the decree, MIC introduced Circular No.13/2018/TT-BTTTT, which details the list of network information security products necessitating import licenses and outlines the associated procedures and required documentation. The specific network information security products subject to import licensing include (i) HS847130 (portable digital automatic data processing machines); (ii) HS847141 (automatic data processing machines and units); (iii) HS847149 (digital automatic data processing machines and units)

In July 2012, the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications introduced Circular No.11/2012/TT-BTTTT, which amended the list of prohibited imported IT products, with some exceptions. This was further extended and detailed by Circular 31/2015/TT-BTTTT, effective from December 15, 2015. This extension included additional guidelines for implementing the ban. Subsequently, on October 15, 2018, following Decree 69/2018/ND-CP, the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications issued Circular No.11/2018/TT-BTTTT, providing a comprehensive list of banned imported IT products. This new circular replaced Annex 1 of Circular 31/2015/TT-BTTTT and prohibited the import of the following items:
- HS8443: Printing machinery used for printing using plates, cylinders, and other printing components, excluding certain machines.
- HS8470: Calculating machines, pocket-size data recording and reproducing machines with calculating functions, and similar machines, excluding specific categories.
- HS8471: Automatic data processing machines, magnetic or optical readers, machines for transcribing data, and machines for processing data.
- HS8517: Telephone sets, wireless communication apparatus, and other transmission or reception devices, excluding specific categories.
- HS8518: Microphones, loudspeakers, headphones, amplifiers, and related devices.
- HS8525: Transmission apparatus for radio and television, as well as radar and radio remote control apparatus.
- HS8526: Radar apparatus, radio navigational aid apparatus, and radio remote control apparatus.
- HS8527: Reception apparatus for radio and broadcasting, with or without sound recording apparatus.
- HS8528: Reception apparatus for television and related devices.
- HS8534: Printed circuits.
- HS8540: Thermionic, cold cathode, or photocathode valves and tubes, including cathode-ray television picture tubes.
- HS8544: Insulated wires, cables, and other electric conductors, including optical fiber cables.

In January 2014, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam (MOIT) released Circular No.04/2014/TT-BCT, outlining detailed provisions for the implementation of Decree 187/2013/ND-CP, which pertains to the execution of the Commercial Law concerning international trade in goods and the activities of international agents related to buying, selling, outsourcing, and transiting goods. Annex 1 of this circular provided a list of specific used products that were prohibited from importation including: (i) Personal laptops (HS8471); (ii) Cellphones (HS 8517; (iii) Digital cameras (HS8525); (iv) Video game consoles and machines (HS9504). On June 15, 2018, MOIT replaced Circular No.04/2014/TT-BCT with Circular No.12/2018/TT-BCT, however, the list of banned electronic products remained unchanged in this updated circular. This set of regulations showcases Vietnam's ongoing efforts to regulate imported electronic goods in accordance with the country's trade and industry standards.

In November 2013, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 187/2013/ND-CP on the implementation of Commercial Law regarding international trade in goods and activities of international agents relating to buying, selling, outsourcing, and transiting of goods. The Decree detailed a list of products to be banned from importation or to be required with import license into Vietnam. The Decree also assigns responsible entities to be in charge of certain products. Annex 1 of Decree 187/2013/ND-CP listed goods to be banned from import, including: (i) Used electronic products, to be regulated and listed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT); (ii) Used IT products, to be regulated and listed by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC); (iii) Certain radio equipment and radio wave applied equipment, are to be regulated and listed by MIC. In addition, in May 2018, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP on Detailed provisions on a number of articles of the Commercial Law. The Decree is to replace Decree No.187. However, the list of banned from import goods is to remain in Annex 1 of the Decree.

According to Art. 23 of Decree 72, social networks must prevent any information from being published that defames the state of Vietnam. Additionally, it provides that the establishment of an online social network requires a license from the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC). In addition, Art. 20.4 of the Decree bans personal blogs from providing “aggregated information”, which Vietnam’s Broadcast and Electronic Information Department has reportedly used as a justification to warn users not to “quote or share information from press agencies or websites of government agencies.” Personal web page owners are only allowed to provide their own information and are prohibited from taking news from media agencies and using that information as if it were their own. Furthermore, according to Art. 23.5(b), companies providing social network services are required to have human resources that meet the criteria by the Ministry of Communications (MIC). However, such criteria or demands by MIC are not clarified.

It is reported that Vietnam prohibits commercial importation of some products, including encryption devices and encryption software. This applies despite Vietnam has agreement in its WTO Accession Protocol to the principle of no restriction or regulation on commercially traded goods equipped with encryption technology.

According to Art. 95.3 of Decree No.15/2020/ND-CP, a fine ranging from VND 50,000,000 to VND 70,000,000 (approx. 2,040 USD to 2,860 USD) shall be imposed for advertising email and internet message services using servers not located in Vietnam.

Vietnam has licensing/registration requirements in place for online social networks, general information websites, mobile telecoms network-based services, and certain online games services under Decree No. 72/2013/ND-CP and its amendment Decree No. 27/2018/ND-CP. These contemplate that companies must be established in Vietnam in order to fulfill the licensing and registration requirements. According to Arts. 22, 25, 28, and 34 of Decree No. 72, providers of websites, social networks, information on the mobile network, and online games, respectively, have to have at least one server inside the country "serving the inspection, storage, and provision of information at the request of competent state management agencies".

According to Art. 13 of Decree 181/2013/ND-CP, Vietnamese companies and individuals who want to place online advertisements on foreign websites or platforms must advertise via agents in Vietnam. In addition, Pursuant to Art. 14 of the Decree, foreign companies and individuals who want to place online advertisements on Vietnamese websites or platforms must do so via Vietnamese agents.

According to Document No. 1513/BBCVT-VT of August 2003 of the Ministry of Post and Telematics Ministry (now, Ministry of Information and Communications), the State determines how Internet connectivity in Vietnam is organized and managed, and it is reported to facilitate Internet content filtering by limiting external access points that must be controlled. Only Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) can connect to the Internet, while Online Service Providers (OSPs) and Internet Content Providers (ICPs) may connect to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and IXPs. Vietnam National Internet eXchange (VNIX) is a system of transferring domestic Internet traffic between Internet service providers (ISPs). VNIX was constructed, operated, and managed by VNNIC according to Document No. 1513/BBCVT-VT of August 2003 of the Ministry of Post and Telematics Ministry (now, Ministry of Information and Communications). Internet filtering happens at the Domain Name System (DNS) level, which means that instead of blocking a site, ISPs simply configure domain names to resolve to an invalid address or remove blocked websites from their DNS servers.

According to Art. 25 of Decree No.72/2013/ND-CP and its amendment and extension of Decree No. 27/2018/ND-CP, Internet Services Providers (ISPs) have to coordinate with the State the removing or blocking information that contains prohibited acts, which include: State opposition, undermining national security and social order, conducting propaganda; propagating obscenity, pornography and harming national traditions and customs; providing information offending organizations or individuals; and advertising banned suitable and services, prohibited newspapers, works and publications. Various press reports have highlighted the controversial nature of Decree 72 and its broad scope regarding the capacity to block websites.