Vietnam Steps Up Online Piracy Crackdown After US Puts It on Top IP Watch List
Updated
Updated · thevietnamese.org · May 27
Vietnam Steps Up Online Piracy Crackdown After US Puts It on Top IP Watch List
4 articles · Updated · thevietnamese.org · May 27
April 2026’s US “Priority Foreign Country” designation pushed Vietnam to intensify enforcement against online copyright violations, even as Hanoi publicly objected to the label.
The warning matters because PFC is the highest tier in the Special 301 system and can open the door to Section 301 trade investigations, with potential tariff and monitoring risks for export sectors.
US pressure reflects the scale of Vietnam-linked piracy networks: investigators said Fmovies made more than $400,000 in ad revenue, while illegal football-streaming platforms were reported to generate hundreds of billions of dong.
Piracy has remained deeply embedded in Vietnam’s internet culture partly because average monthly income was only about 8.7 million dong in 2024-2025, making licensed software and streaming services hard to afford.
The report argues enforcement should target commercial distributors rather than individual users, warning that anti-piracy measures must not become a pretext for intrusive surveillance or broader information control.
Can Việt Nam's crackdown on piracy attract US tech giants without crushing its low-income population?
Did Việt Nam's 'copyright-free' era create the skilled workforce that US tech giants now covet?
U.S. Labels Vietnam a Priority Foreign Country: Inside the 2026 IP Crackdown and Its 31.8% Enforcement Decline
Overview
In April 2026, the United States designated Vietnam as a 'Priority Foreign Country' due to concerns over persistent online piracy, widespread counterfeiting, and inadequate IP enforcement. This move, influenced by Vietnam's trade surplus and stalled trade negotiations, led to a swift nationwide crackdown by the Vietnamese government, including new legal reforms and intensified enforcement efforts. Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted recent IP law amendments and requested an objective U.S. assessment. Despite these actions, operational challenges remain, as administrative restructuring has hindered enforcement outcomes. The situation continues to evolve, with future trade relations hinging on Vietnam's sustained progress.