With just a few months remaining before the Personal Data Protection Law comes into force, the digital marketing sector is entering a countdown phase—where data is no longer a free “oil well,” but instead becomes a test of trust between brands, marketing agencies, and consumers A strategy meeting at a marketing service company in An Khanh Ward, HCMC, unfolded in an unusual atmosphere. Amidst presentations on performance evaluation and communication plans, the creative director posed a stark question: “If, starting next year, we can no longer use third-party cookies or re-target ads based on user behavior—what will we have left to sell to clients?” This question, directed at the team but also aimed at the questioner himself, encapsulates the challenge now haunting the digital marketing industry. New law changes the game On January 1, 2026, Vietnam’s Personal Data Protection Law will officially take effect, putting an end to the era of “easy access” in collecting and exploiting user data that has lasted over a decade. The law establishes a new principle: all personal data is private property. It can only be processed with the explicit consent of the user, and a mechanism must be provided for them to withdraw that […]