Editorial: It is estimated that more than 90% of cameras in Vietnam are imported from abroad and transfer Vietnamese customer data abroad. The risk of personal information being leaked is very high. This requires surveillance cameras circulating in Vietnam to meet user data protection standards. VietNamNet would like to send readers a series of articles on the current state of the camera market in Vietnam and solutions to this problem.

Europe focuses on privacy and data security

In Europe, users' personal data is protected by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs all cameras installed on public highways and places open to the public, such as shops, cinemas, shopping malls, banks, etc.

In some countries, such as France, if a store owner wants to install a surveillance camera in their store, they must go through a process of submitting a permit application to the provincial/municipal police department. From there, the application is sent to a specialized committee for review within 3 months. If the permit is granted, the applicant is obliged to declare the operation of the video surveillance system to the provincial/municipal level.

These permits are valid for 5 years and can be renewed. Only after receiving the permit can the work of installing surveillance cameras begin.

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In Europe, user personal data is protected by the General Data Protection Regulation. Source: USPS

In compliance with GDPR, the implementation of video surveillance systems must respect the privacy and freedom of individuals. As soon as the people being filmed can be identified in the surveillance images, they become sensitive data. This is considered private data. Therefore, companies or shop owners have an obligation to provide information and transparency to employees about these security camera systems.

Workers must be notified of the presence of cameras and the possibility of being recorded. This notification may be through a sign, logo, or any other easily readable means of communication.

Furthermore, before installing any security camera system, businesses must identify who has access to the recorded images. It is the responsibility of companies to establish clear and detailed protocols to determine access to sensitive information and to be legally responsible in the event of data theft.

The US strictly controls recording by surveillance cameras.

Meanwhile, security camera laws in the United States focus on balancing the needs of public safety, crime prevention, and personal privacy. There are differences between federal and state regulations for video surveillance systems.

However, the core aspect of the regulations is that explicit consent from individuals is required before filming takes place where they have a legitimate need for privacy.

At the federal level, the United States does not have specific laws governing surveillance cameras in non-governmental locations. While most states allow video surveillance in public places, they have strict regulations regarding recording audio through video surveillance. For example, in Washington state, recording without consent is a crime.

For equipment used in the workplace, the procedures and criteria for cameras must comply with the provisions of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Currently, the US bans the use of video surveillance systems with components manufactured by companies such as Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision or Dahua Technology.

Both the US and Europe have regulations regarding the storage of images and videos recorded by surveillance cameras. For example, in France, data cannot be stored for more than 30 days, while in the US, this period ranges from 30 to 90 days depending on the field.

In Vietnam, the Ministry of Information and Communications has just issued criteria on basic network information security requirements for surveillance cameras in the context of too many cameras circulating of unknown origin, storing Vietnamese user data abroad and having no standards to ensure information security for users. One of the main contents is that the devices must have features that allow setting up and configuring locations in Vietnam to process, store and exploit data to ensure compliance with regulations on personal data protection.

Lesson 2: About 90% of the surveillance camera market comes from China

The Ministry of Information and Communications has issued criteria for surveillance cameras to protect user data . Surveillance camera devices must have features that allow setting up and configuring locations in Vietnam for processing, storing and exploiting data to ensure compliance with Vietnamese law on personal data protection.