The National Competition Commission, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, sent an invitation to VNG Corporation for a meeting to discuss user data collection and usage, along with service provision on the Zalo platform. The meeting is scheduled for the morning of 31/12.
The commission's request follows numerous user complaints regarding VNG's practices in collecting and using personal information and providing services on its Zalo platform.
The issue stems from Zalo, Vietnam's most popular messaging platform with over 80 million users, introducing new terms of service on its mobile application. These terms comprise the Zalo User Agreement (16 articles) and the Zalo Social Network User Agreement (21 articles). Users were presented with options to "agree all" or selectively decline specific services. However, refusing any part of the terms resulted in account deletion.
"The meeting aims to clarify information for state management in protecting consumer rights," the commission stated.
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Zalo application's updated terms of service on mobile, 12/2025. Photo: Luu Quy |
The commission demanded VNG provide several categories of documents directly related to individual users, including: the company's legal profile and its role in owning, managing, and operating the Zalo platform; and the application's target user base.
The regulatory body also requested VNG to submit all current Zalo terms of service applied in Vietnam, along with any revised versions from the past 12 months. This submission must include their issuance and effective dates, and how users were notified.
Furthermore, VNG must clarify its process for amending terms, including notification methods, how users are required to accept updates, and the consequences for users who decline.
The National Competition Commission concurrently demanded that the company provide all documents pertaining to the collection, processing, storage, sharing, and protection of personal data on Zalo.
"If the company has not issued a separate document outlining its Zalo user data protection policy, it must clarify how this policy is presented, where it is published, and how users can fully access and understand all content related to their personal data," the National Competition Commission specified.
Additionally, authorities asked VNG to report on: how the service is organized and operated; the process for providing information during use; and the choices available to users when agreeing or disagreeing with terms related to personal data.
Zalo's move quickly sparked widespread discussion across numerous Facebook groups, primarily concerning the update method, which users felt left them with little agency.
In reality, updating terms is not new for Zalo. In previous versions, the platform explicitly stated its "right to amend or supplement any or all content of the agreement at any time without prior notice or user consent."
For many years, Zalo quietly implemented adjustments. For instance, in 2024, it added content related to basic and sensitive personal data, following the effective date of Decree 13 on Personal Data Protection.
The key difference this time lies in certain new concepts, terms, and, notably, the implementation method. Instead of quiet updates, the platform actively displayed direct in-app notifications, requiring users to accept to continue using the service.
Phuong Dung
