Vietnam is preparing to intensify its crackdown on online copyright infringement, with major piracy platforms such as Xoilac, Rophim, Motphim and Motchill potentially falling under increased scrutiny following a new directive from the Prime Minister.

The government recently issued an urgent order calling for stronger measures to combat intellectual property violations. Under the directive, the Ministry of Public Security has been tasked with coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies to investigate and dismantle high-traffic websites and organizations involved in online copyright infringement.

Particular focus will be placed on websites illegally distributing films, music, mobile games and television programs in both Vietnamese and foreign languages, especially English.

Representatives from major Vietnamese telecom and media companies, including Viettel, VNPT and FPT Telecom, said the directive could have a significant impact on the domestic market and reflects the government’s determination to address long-standing copyright violations.

Pay-TV operators described the move as one of the strongest signals yet from authorities regarding the protection of intellectual property rights.

A Viettel representative said copyright infringement involving films and football broadcasting has persisted in Vietnam for years. Although regulators had previously introduced measures to curb the problem, enforcement tools had not been strong enough to eliminate piracy networks entirely.

The representative cited the case of the film “Mua Do” (Read Rain) which was reportedly pirated by hundreds of websites just hours after its release on the TV360 platform.

VNPT also welcomed the tougher stance, saying stronger enforcement would help protect legitimate pay-TV providers that have long suffered financial losses due to illegal streaming and content theft.

FPT Telecom similarly described the government’s renewed focus on intellectual property enforcement, particularly in football broadcasting and film distribution, as a long-awaited development for the industry.

Despite the growing pressure, many major piracy websites remained accessible as of the morning of May 7.

According to Vo Trung Tin, Deputy Director of the Institute of Copyright and Digital Asset Technology, Rophim had previously announced it would cease operations, but the platform continued functioning afterward.

Tin said the platform first appeared in late 2024 before expanding rapidly in 2025. It reportedly recorded 103.3 million visits, with an average monthly traffic volume of 34.46 million and approximately 2.9 million unique visitors.

The platform was ranked 1,367 globally and 19th in Vietnam.

According to data cited by the institute, Rophim allegedly violated copyright related to 18,077 film titles. Most of them were feature films from the US, China, the UK, South Korea and Japan, accounting for 14,594 titles, while television series represented 3,483 titles.

The institute warned that such piracy activities have caused significant losses for international content owners including Netflix, Disney and Sony Pictures, as well as domestic services such as FPT Play and MyTV.

Meanwhile, the Xoilac ecosystem reportedly resumed operations despite earlier police crackdowns and arrests involving individuals connected to the platform.

In a recent statement, the organization managing the English Premier League cited research from cybersecurity expert Professor Paul Watters, who warned that most piracy websites contain malware, scams or spam-related threats.

The statement also said many illegal streaming platforms display harmful advertisements linked to gambling, adult content or online fraud.

Research cited in the report suggested that piracy websites in Vietnam are nearly 10 times more likely to contain malware than legitimate platforms.

Nearly 72% of piracy websites were found to contain malicious code, scams or other deceptive activities, while 95% of advertisements displayed on such sites were considered harmful.

Experts also warned that piracy applications can steal users’ personal data and exploit internet connections for illegal activities, potentially exposing users to fraud investigations or criminal misuse.

Professor Paul Watters said piracy websites are not only copyright violations but also serious cybersecurity threats.

“Our research shows they are connected to digital infrastructure commonly used by cybercriminals for fraud, extortion and other illegal activities,” he said.

He added that illegal streaming devices can secretly become part of proxy networks, effectively turning users’ homes into nodes within global cybercrime operations.

Representatives from Viettel, VNPT and FPT Telecom believe the government’s latest directive and upcoming enforcement actions could create strong positive changes in Vietnam’s digital content market.

Industry observers expect that many major piracy platforms could soon become primary targets in a broader nationwide anti-piracy campaign.

Thai Khang