The National Competition Commission has officially summoned VNG Corporation following Zalo's controversial move requiring users to accept new terms of service to continue using the platform.

In its summons, the Commission under the Ministry of Industry and Trade noted a recent surge in reports and complaints related to Zalo's collection and use of personal data, as well as its overall service provision model.

To clarify these concerns and support state management in protecting consumer rights, the Commission requested that VNG attend a meeting on December 31.

VNG is required to submit a detailed report and certified documents related to individual user data, including general company information and service platform details; the demographics of Zalo users in Vietnam; and VNG’s legal status and its role in managing, operating, and determining Zalo’s user-facing terms and policies.

The Commission has also asked for all versions of Zalo's terms of service that have applied to individual users in Vietnam over the past 12 months. For each version, VNG must indicate the date of issuance, effective date, and how the terms were publicly announced to users.

In addition, VNG must clarify how it updates or revises its terms of service. This includes detailing how users are notified of changes, how consent is obtained, and what consequences apply if users refuse to accept the updated terms.

Regarding personal data and privacy policies, the Commission asked VNG to submit all current documents governing the collection, processing, storage, sharing, and protection of Zalo users’ personal information.

If VNG has not issued a separate policy document on user data protection, the company must specify how the policy is presented, where it is published, and how users can access and fully understand the personal data provisions.

VNG must also describe how Zalo users can express consent or refusal to the data collection and processing, as well as how they can revoke consent or exercise other legal rights related to their personal information.

To support these points, the Commission requests visual and documentary evidence, such as user guides, screenshots, or internal records, that demonstrate how users interact with these policies in practice.

Furthermore, VNG must submit materials outlining how it organizes and delivers online services to individual users through Zalo, as well as information on how it receives, processes, and resolves complaints or inquiries related to the terms of service and user data protection. The company must also provide a summary of all such cases handled over the past 12 months.

Previously, Zalo drew strong criticism after rolling out new terms requiring users to accept revised data collection conditions. If users do not agree, their accounts are scheduled for automatic deletion after 45 days.

Tam An