Regulators in Vietnam have fined TikTok, the short-form video platform owned by ByteDance, 880 million dong (about $33,516) for misleading consumers about its business relationships and violating consumer protection and data privacy rules.
A statement on the Vietnam Competition Commission’s website noted that TikTok lacked a mechanism to facilitate the exercise of user privacy rights regarding data used for commercial purposes, such as advertising. Apart from these claims, the statement also noted that the social media platform failed to give specific users the right to submit complaints or address issues.
Vietnam slams TikTok with $33,516 fine for breach of rules
The action from Vietnam comes amid increased enforcement of data privacy and consumer rights rules, which took effect with the country’s new Personal Data Protection Law and updated regulatory decrees in early 2026. These laws require platforms to obtain clear, informed consent from users before collecting or using personal information, including details like phone numbers and more sensitive data, such as location and online behavior.
The move also shows that Vietnam is strict about enforcing the laws governing social media platforms. Following the announcement, individuals raised concerns about TikTok’s practices. Responding to these claims, the social media platform affirmed that it has begun implementing changes in line with the authority’s proposals.
The firm declared its commitment to establishing a transparent business and shopping environment, while strictly adhering to local regulations for social media platforms and adopting a customer-centric approach. It is worth noting that TikTok is not the first company to face a severe fine. Earlier, regulators in Vietnam also imposed a fine of around 810 million dong on the VNG Group, a tech company that manages Zalo, a messaging app.
This was after the commission discovered that VNG failed to provide consumers with an option to object to the use of their personal data, particularly by businesses, or decide to what extent this information could be used, following complaints raised by users. In response to these complaints, sources stated that the commission requested complete details on Zalo’s data usage and collection policies from VNG in late December, citing a statement on the government’s website.
As of now, VNG is working together with the commission to assess and revise its policies. For TikTok, this is the second time it has found itself in trouble with Vietnamese regulators, after facing a backlash in 2023 for failing to restrict content that violated local laws. While this legal battle continues, recent reports indicate that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has finally completed a long-awaited deal to transfer significant portions of its US operations to investors based in the country.
