Vietnam mulls linking social media services to VNeID for account verification

The plan, part of the 2026 work program of the Central Steering Committee for the Development of Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation, aims to improve account reliability, prevent identity fraud, and enhance cybersecurity.

Regulations or guidelines for integrating social media platforms with VNeID are expected to be issued by the second quarter of 2026.

The Ministry of Public Security will lead efforts to develop the app VNeID into a national digital platform supporting e-government, digital economy, and digital society.

Officials described VNeID as central infrastructure in Vietnam’s digital ecosystem, enabling citizens to access and participate in online services safely and efficiently. This task is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2026.

The Ministry of Finance has been tasked with proposing tax and fee exemptions to encourage citizens to use digital services and online public administration via VNeID. That work is due in the first quarter of 2026.

The program sets ambitious economic targets, including raising the digital economy’s share of GDP to 14.5 percent and the combined contribution of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation to 17.5 percent of GDP.

Total factor productivity is targeted to contribute 50 percent of economic growth.

Infrastructure goals include expanding 5G coverage to 70 percent of the population, equipping all commune-level officials with digital tools and personal e-signatures, and launching a National Data Center.

By 2026, all government records at ministry, provincial, and commune levels are to be processed electronically.

The program also requires that at least 80 percent of administrative procedures be fully online, with citizens and businesses only needing to provide information once across agencies.

All procedures must be accessible regardless of provincial boundaries.

The Ministry of Public Security will also draft a resolution on developing ‘digital citizens’ by this month, propose an Electronic Identification and Authentication Law in the first quarter, and submit a national VNeID development plan by the second quarter.