By mid-August, Vietnamese Facebook users could be subjected to a controversial new regulation that would require users to apply for permission before uploading photographs online.
According to Tuoi Tre, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently signed a decree regulating the sharing of online photos. The regulation, set to take effect on August 15, “aims to administrate photography exhibitions in the country by requiring individuals or organizations that hold such displays to apply for a permit from relevant authorities”, writes the news outlet.
Since its announcement, the new decree has sparked public debate due to its confusing language, which does not specify what constitutes a photographic exhibition. Some fear the law could require average Facebook users to obtain permission before sharing personal photos on the social media site.
Vi Kien Thanh, general director of the Authority for Arts, Photography and Exhibition (AAPE), which was involved in drafting the law in question, commented on the controversial new decree.
“In principle, a permit is required for posting photos on Facebook with the involvement of any form of dissemination, introduction or promotion,” Thanh told Tuoi Tre.
“The regulation wasn’t in place but we’re finding it is a matter that needs to be regulated,” he continued. “The act of posting photos online is a complicated matter.”
Thanh went on to say the regulation could affect not only professional photographers but also average citizens, depending upon how their photos were presented. Though he told reporters that posting personal images did not constitute an online exhibition, Thanh didn’t have a clear answer on how to distinguish between personal photos and online exhibitions.
The general director said a pending circular from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will further elaborate on this point, however in an interview with Tuoi Tre earlier this week, Thanh explained: “Online exhibitions might include websites where photographers can submit their photos, and public viewers can access and view those photos.”
“Similarly, if a Facebook user accepts photo submissions from all sources and lets anyone view those photos, it could be considered an online exhibition,” he continued.
For his part, noted Vietnamese photographer Na Son took issue with the decree, saying its vague language threatens to regulate citizens’ personal lives.
“There are over 30 million Facebook users and hundreds of thousands of Instagram users in Vietnam who ‘exhibit their photographic works’… on the Internet on a daily basis,” Son told Tuoi Tre. “Are they all required to submit a written application? Which authority would be able handle all the paperwork?”
Vu Quoc Khanh, president of the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, speculated that the decree could be a pre-emptive measure to rein in online exhibitions before they become too popular.
“There has to be a clear line between what are considered online exhibitions and what are photos shared with family and friends,” Khanh told the news outlet. “Above all, everybody needs to be responsible for their own actions.”
