iQIYI requested to fully comply with Vietnamese laws for cross-border paid streaming services. — Photo vietnamnet.vn

The Ministry of Information and Communications has requested iQIYI, China’s leading provider of online entertainment video services, to fully comply with local laws for cross-border paid streaming services.

Through monitoring efforts, the ministry’s Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information (ABEI) discovered that iQIYI continued to broadcast programmes in Việt Nam without complying with Vietnamese regulations.

On April 28, 2023, iQIYI submitted a report to the ABEI indicating its intention to comply with Vietnamese broadcasting regulations. The company stated it had removed all non-film contents from its services in Việt Nam, ceased offering paid television broadcasting, and switched to providing film streaming services in accordance with Vietnamese cinema laws.

However, iQIYI was found to still stream TV programmes in Việt Nam in violation of the Government Decree No 71/2022/NĐ-CP on amending certain provisions of Decree No 6/2016/NĐ-CP concerning the management, provision and use of broadcasting services.

At a recent meeting with the ABEI, the Chinese company expressed commitment to learning from this issue, and will strictly follow Vietnamese laws concerning cross-border paid television services.

To uphold legal compliance and ensure a fair and healthy business environment, the agency urges all cross-border broadcasting services providers in Việt Nam to strictly comply with local regulations. — VNS