Some people might consider unskippable ads to be one of the worst sins of online advertising in recent years, especially on platforms like YouTube, where a 30-second ad can feel like an eternity.
Now, Vietnam has taken a direct swing at the practice. The government has issued Decree 342/2025/ND-CP, a new set of rules that puts some guardrails on how companies can run ads online.
Starting February 15, 2026, for any video or animated advertisements, the maximum time a user can be forced to wait before skipping is capped at five seconds. This very specific, technical requirement is quite unlike the more principles-based regulations found in the European Union"s GDPR or various US state privacy laws, which focus more on data consent than the actual UI/UX of the ad itself.
That is not all. When it comes to static image ads, like the banners you see plastered all over websites, the decree demands they can be closed immediately, with one tap. It also explicitly prohibits using fake or misleading close icons, like those fake "X" buttons that lead to the app store when you click them.
There are 11 groups of products and services that will face much stricter advertising content regulations because they directly affect human health and the environment. These products include: cosmetics; food; milk and nutritional products for young children; chemicals, insecticides, and disinfectants; medical equipment; medical examination and treatment services; pesticides and veterinary drugs; fertilizers; plant seeds; medicines; and alcoholic beverages.
Online ads are also now required to have clear icons and instructions that let users report content that violates the law. If the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the body that handles enforcement requests, rules that the ad is indeed illegal, the advertiser and service provider have 24 hours to take it down.
If they do not comply, the ministry will coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to implement technical measures to block the ad and deal with the violation.
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