Several VTV Programs Targeted by Copyright Infringement

For many years, television programs produced by Vietnam Television (VTV) have been subject to rampant copyright infringement, unauthorized citations, and unlicensed edits, that are widely shared on social media platforms. The range of copyrighted content being  infringed is extensive, covering news, sports, entertainment, and dramas. This poses a significant challenge for official content producers like VTV in protecting their legal rights and safeguarding their creative value under copyright laws.  

The types of content subject to copyright infringement are diverse, ranging from political news programs to sports, entertainment, and movies.

Recently, a video clip from “Gap Nhau Cuoi Nam - Tao Quan 2025”, a program produced and copyrighted by VTV, was re-uploaded without permission by another media outlet. Shockingly, this entity even listed the video as part of its copyrighted content, resulting in  VTV’s official channel being flagged  by Facebook for copyright infringement by Facebook. This incident is just one of many copyright violations VTV has faced in recent times.  

Lawyer Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Head of the Legal Committee of the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association, said: "This act is a clear and blatant violation of copyright and related rights, specifically infringing on three main areas: first, the right to reproduction; second, the right to derivative works; and third, the right to communicate the work to the public, as outlined in Article 20 of Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Law. The aggrieved party may seek compensation if “actual damages resulting from the infringement can be proven".  

Last year alone, the VTV Digital Center (VTV Digital) detected and handled over 43,000 cases of copyright infringement, issuing takedown requests and restricting numerous major infringers. However, infringements continue to proliferate across international social media platforms, especially TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. The platforms’ lack of proactive measures  by these platforms to detect and remove infringing content has allowed individuals and organizations to freely exploit copyrighted material for profit.  

VTV’s Deputy General Director, Do Thanh Hai highlighted a major issue with social media platforms: "While these platforms have algorithms and technologies to help copyright holders protect their content, their policies are often cumbersome, slow to resolve complaints or fail to promptly address issues raised by content providers. This allows copyright  infringers to continue their activities with little consequence. If social media platforms enforced stricter policies and worked more closely with content producers like VTV, copyright infringement could be significantly reduced".  

In addition to  unauthorized use of content  for profit, infringers also manipulate and edit copyrighted images from VTV and other media organizations to create misleading,  false, or harmful content. This includes content aimed at defamation, fraud, and even threats to national security and public order. If copyright infringement is  not effectively curbed, the long-term consequences could be severe. Public trust in legitimate news sources may erode, creating an environment where misinformation and fake news can spread unchecked.