At the seminar “Identifying and seeking solutions to handle copyright violation” organised by Nhan Dan Newspaper, Pham Thi Kim Oanh, Deputy Head of the Copyright Office under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Phan Cam Tu, member of the Standing Board of the Viet Nam Film Development Association and consultant of the Motion Picture Association, analysed the situation of copyright violations in the film sector, the solutions Viet Nam has been implementing, and the need to continue exploring new approaches.
Copyright violation situation in cinema
In fact, films — especially box office hits — have always been “easy targets” for copyright violation. In 2017, the case in which producer Ngo Thanh Van petitioned Ba Ria–Vung Tau Provincial Police to handle the illegal distribution of the film “Co Ba Sai Gon” (The Tailor) on social media caused a major stir in the film industry. While the film was still being screened in cinemas, an audience member livestreamed it and shared it on a film fanpage with a large number of members.
Similar cases are not difficult to identify. On many free movie websites, shortly after popular film premieres in theatres, pirated “cam” versions — illegally recorded copies — appear even before high-quality versions are available, catering to those unwilling to pay for the full artistic product created by filmmakers.
Recently, producer Tran Thanh of the film “Tho Oi!!” (Bunny!!) and earlier the production team of “Mua do” (Red Rain) had to call on audiences not to share illegally recorded clips or reveal plot details. At the time, representatives of the Viet Nam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated that authorities would step in and coordinate efforts to handle violations, protect intellectual property rights, and protect the creative environment to ensure sustainable development of the film market.
Sharing her viewpoint, Pham Thi Kim Oanh said that in recent years, copyright protection enforcement in Viet Nam has improved significantly, and public awareness has increased. However, serious violations still exist in the digital environment, posing major challenges for rights holders.
“With us, the main cause is the rapid development of technology. Copyright violation in the digital environment has become much easier. A film is screened, someone records it in a cinema, and immediately it appears online in violation of copyright. Evading detection is also very easy because not all websites have servers in Viet Nam. Many websites have servers abroad, making coordination very difficult. The revenue for these individuals is enormous; they can take millions of infringed works not only in Viet Nam but also worldwide to store in their archives, profiting from huge advertising revenue to maintain illegal and malicious websites. This is a dark side and a very troubling situation today,” shared Pham Thi Kim Oanh.
Sharing the same view, Phan Cam Tu said that violations in the digital environment are increasingly sophisticated and impactful. The current forms of violation are so common that simply opening a website and typing in the movie title will yield dozens of pages offering the film. They often have Vietnamese subtitles and translations, making them extremely common and easily accessible. In the past, violations via pirated discs and optical discs were simpler, but at least people understood they were illegal. Now, an average person wanting to watch a movie can simply go online, type in the movie title, and watch it on those websites. Very few people understand that watching movies on those websites is a violation, even though the viewers themselves may not be directly violating the law, the films shown on those websites are illegal.
“These operators of illegal websites are highly knowledgeable. Poor-quality cam recorded films are no longer common. Instead, they provide near-original quality versions. The websites are professionally designed, making it difficult for users to distinguish between legitimate paid platforms and illegal ones. Violations via websites are extremely widespread. In addition, file-sharing through torrents is also common, with many users considering it as part of a film-loving community. These websites are so well designed that they rival major platforms such as Netflix or Apple TV,” she added.
Using technology to protect copyright
One of the tools used by producers to protect copyright is technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).
According to Pham Thi Kim Oanh, technology must be used to address technology-related problems; otherwise, enforcement will fall behind. The Copyright Office plans to enhance the application of information technology in management. State management agencies need to provide adequate investment and to apply AI to detect and combat violations.
“We are planning to build a national copyright database for verification purposes and consider applying blockchain technology in copyright registration. When legal evidence is transparent and cannot be manipulated, copyright protection will be more effective. Although copyright registration is not mandatory, it is an effective measure to provide initial evidence for enforcement agencies or intermediary service providers to promptly remove infringing content — for example, in protecting the copyright of live football broadcasts,” she said.
We must use technology to handle technological challenges; otherwise, we will fall behind.
Pham Thi Kim Oanh, Deputy Head of the Copyright Office
Regarding the legal framework, she said that since 2022, the “notice-and-takedown” mechanism initiated by rights holders has become a powerful enforcement tool. International commitments on safe harbour provisions for internet service providers complying with takedown requests have also been codified in detail in Decree No. 17. Although technology develops rapidly and laws may lag behind, there are now mechanisms allowing rights holders or authorities to directly request the removal of infringing content. For instance, last year, Viet Nam Television successfully used this mechanism to remove 43,000 violations without going through state agencies.
Phan Cam Tu added that as technology advances, rights holders continuously develop protective measures — from factory codes and anti-counterfeit labels in the CD era to modern tools such as watermarking and content delivery networks (CDN). Vietnamese film producers have kept pace with global practices in this regard. However, she emphasised that “every lock has a key,” and violators constantly find ways to bypass protections. Therefore, no single technological solution can fully address the problem. A comprehensive approach combining legal frameworks, public awareness, and enforcement measures is required.
Improving the legal framework for copyright protection
In recent years, Viet Nam’s legal framework for copyright protection has made notable progress. According to Pham Thi Kim Oanh, who has directly participated in drafting relevant legislation, 2024 and 2025 marked the first years in which copyright violation cases were criminally prosecuted in Viet Nam. Although criminal provisions have existed since 2010, only recently have major cases such as Phimmoi and Fmovies been brought to trial.
“Fmovies recorded 6.7 billion visits from January 2023 to June 2024. Bringing this case to criminal trial and issuing a verdict is highly encouraging,” she said.
She also shared new information in the legal framework. Viet Nam is among the few countries that impose administrative penalties for civil rights violations such as copyright. Decree No. 341, issued on December 26, 2025 and effective from February 15, 2026, introduces significant changes, including requiring violators to return illicit profits to rights holders. This is an important channel alongside criminal proceedings, which are often complex. Fines have been increased, and compensation is now calculated based on website traffic metrics.
Phan Cam Tu assessed these developments as highly positive for the film industry. “The prospect of a standalone copyright law is a major step forward for Viet Nam. I hope that rights holders and experts will work closely with state authorities to develop a law that truly benefits all people and reduces the burden on authorities in copyright protection,” she said.
