Vietnam's National Competition Commission, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, recently decided to fine six companies providing pay television services a total of VND3.14 billion for violating consumer protection rules.
The companies fined were Onlive TV, MangoPlus, FPT Play, TV360, MyTV and HTVC. According to the authority, special monitoring mainly found violations involving standard-form contracts, general transaction conditions and the duty to provide consumers with information.
Four of the six companies had not registered or re-registered their standard-form contracts and general transaction conditions as required by the state management agency. Three companies had clauses in their standard-form contracts or general transaction conditions that were not permitted.
In addition, three of the six companies had not created a way for consumers to choose the scope of the information they agreed to provide and to express consent or refusal as required by the rules. Three companies also had not allowed consumers to choose whether to permit certain actions, as required by the Law on Protection of Consumer Rights.
Other violations concerned the duty to ensure safety in remote transactions, incomplete information provided to consumers, protection of vulnerable consumers and the minimum font size required when concluding written contracts.
Along with the fines, the National Competition Commission required the companies to stop the violations and review, revise and complete the related content, policies and procedures to protect consumer rights.
According to the commission, the companies cooperated with the authority during the process and reviewed, updated and completed their policies and transaction terms. The companies reported that the shortcomings and content requiring correction had been reviewed and adjusted.
The National Competition Commission said the monitoring and handling of violations were intended to strengthen post-market supervision and improve companies' awareness of legal compliance as the pay television market becomes more diverse, with cable television, internet television (OTT TV) and video on demand (VOD).
Sources: Dân Trí
