Vietnam’s amended Advertising Law (Law No. 75/2025/QH15) took effect on 1 January 2026, and its biggest change for marketers is that influencers are now legally responsible for the ads they post. Online ads also have to be clearly labelled and easy to close or report. If you pay KOLs or KOCs, or run social and display ads to Vietnamese audiences, both the brand and the creator carry obligations.
Enforcement is getting serious. In May 2026 the broadcasting authority launched a digital code of conduct and a database of creators and online advertising. In June the Vietnam Competition Commission sanctioned a company, partly for failing to disclose sponsored influencer content.
In short
Under Vietnam’s 2026 advertising rules, an influencer who promotes a product they have not used, or does not clearly say it is an ad, shares the legal liability with the brand.
What changed for influencers
The law uses the term "advertising conveyor": anyone who, for profit, directly advertises, recommends or endorses products. Tilleke & Gibbins summarises what that person must now do. They must verify the advertiser's credibility, not promote products they have not personally used or clearly understood, and clearly disclose the advertisement before and during the promotion.
The last point is what brands miss most often. A single #ad at the bottom of a caption is unlikely to count as disclosure before and during the promotion. Put the label on screen, in the voiceover and at the start of the caption.
Creators who get it wrong also carry legal liability. Tilleke notes that the law ties liability to ads that do not meet legal standards. VietNamNet reported in May 2026 that officials warned serious influencer advertising violations could lead to criminal prosecution, after many KOLs and celebrities were penalised in 2025.
Vietnam advertising law 2026: the online ad rules
According to Vietnam Law & Legal Forum's summary of the new provisions, online advertising must:
- Carry a clear identifying mark, whether numbers, letters, symbols, images or sound, that separates the ad from normal content.
- Include easy-to-recognise icons or features that let people turn off the ad and report violations, for ads that are not fixed in place.
- Run on social platforms that give users features to tell advertising apart from other content.
Tilleke adds that ads which break the rules must be prevented or removed within 24 hours of a request from the authorities. Foreign advertisers running cross-border campaigns must also engage a Vietnamese advertising service provider to carry them out.
The trade-off for brands
Stricter rules mean fewer creators willing to take quick, unvetted deals, and slower approval as they ask for product documents. That is a cost. The upside is that a clear disclosure and a verified claim protect your brand too: the June 2026 sanction shows regulators are willing to penalise the company, not just the creator.
For a small business, the simplest approach is a one-page influencer brief. It should include the product facts the creator can repeat, the claims they must avoid, the exact disclosure wording, and who to contact if the post is flagged.
Frequently asked questions
Does this apply to micro-influencers and KOCs?
Yes. The definition covers anyone who advertises, recommends or endorses products for profit, whatever their follower count.
Is a gifted product without payment still an ad?
If the creator is promoting it in return for something of value, treat it as an ad and disclose it. The consumer protection law also requires sponsorship by influential individuals to be disclosed.
Who enforces this?
Advertising content falls under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and its broadcasting authority, while undisclosed sponsorship can also be pursued under consumer protection law, as the June 2026 case showed.
Sources
- Tilleke & Gibbins, "Vietnam Amends Key Aspects of Advertising Law", accessed September 2026.
- Vietnam Law & Legal Forum, "Amended Advertising Law: key new provisions", accessed September 2026.
- VietNamNet, "VN steps up oversight of influencers, online advertising and digital conduct", 22 May 2026.
- HLC, "Heightened enforcement of consumer protection laws in Vietnam: digital platforms and influencer marketing in focus", 13 July 2026.
Related guides in this series
- Vietnam's new data protection fines: what marketers must fix now
- Cookies, email and SMS in Vietnam: the consent rules for 2026
- How to write content that AI cites
This article is general information for marketers, not legal advice. For decisions with real legal exposure, check with a Vietnam-qualified lawyer.
Planning an influencer or paid social campaign in Vietnam?
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Published: September 2026 | Author: Minh Pham
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