Is collecting personal information of the vHandicap golf scoring application in accordance with regulations?

Photo of ID card must be taken to authenticate identity

The vHandicap application system was launched by the Vietnam Golf Association (VGA), allowing golfers to calculate their handicap (admission point) through the results of each match. According to the Vietnam Golf Association, this is a technology product of the Association and its partner, Vietnam Golf Joint Stock Company (VG Corp) since 2017.

The vHandicap application supports installation on Android and iOS with some key features such as: Helping players track and update handicap points, performance rankings, and supporting connection, experience sharing and competition with other golfers.

However, the identity verification procedure (eKYC) on this application is being questioned. When Lao Dong reporter logged in, the system informed users that "identity must be authenticated to be granted a handicap certificate from the Vietnam Golf Association". Authentication is also announced to protect accounts and use many utilities from vHandicap.

Notably, during the authentication process, users need to take a photo of their citizen identification card with the following notes: "Clear, full details, no lost corners and no blurred, glowing. The owner's documents are still valid. These are original photos that have not been scan and photocopy.

The problem is that vHandicap was granted a license to establish a social network on network No. 03/GP-BTTTT issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications (now the Ministry of Science and Technology) on January 6, 2025. The vHandicap mobile application also has the features of a social network such as posting, making friends, expressing emotions.

Meanwhile, according to Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP on management, provision and use of Internet services and information on the network, people only have to be required to authenticate social network accounts using their own mobile phone number in Vietnam.

If one of the following 2 cases is involved, it is mandatory to authenticate social network accounts using a Citizen Identification Card (ie personal identification number): 1. Social network users do not have phone numbers in Vietnam. 2. Social media users use the livestream feature for commercial purposes.

The actual records of Lao Dong reporters also show that the vHandicap application allows account registration by phone number. However, to authenticate their identity, users still need to go through the step of taking a photo of their citizen identification card or passport.

Concerns about abuse of personal information collection

In the Agreement to agree to provide personal data, vHandicap said that it may provide personal data to the following parties: VG Corp member units; Third parties supporting the verification of personal data subject information; Competent State agencies; Service providers for vHandicap and service providers with vHandicap; Third parties authorized by the Personal Data Subject; Other third parties that vHandicap finds necessary to meet and protect the legitimate rights and interests of the Personal Data Subject.

The platform also said: Personally data processing always has the potential risk of data leakage or inappropriate data processing.

The above information raises many concerns for vHandicap users. Taking full photos of your citizen identification card or passport, if information falls into the hands of bad guys, it can be taken advantage of with unpredictable consequences.

In fact, after vHandicap launched the eKYC identity authentication feature, many users expressed their reaction. On a golf forum, account P.P commented: "It seems that the app is collecting information, which is not in accordance with regulations on personal data protection".

Account N.Q.H frankly said: "Requiring a Citizen Identification Card is very abusive. I won't do it. If you have an app to replace the introduction, the community will gradually switch".

Some other opinions also expressed their opposition to citizen identification authentication when "vHandicap does not require users to use their real name but is just a form of account using a phone number. In case of fraud to create many accounts, the number is very small" or "Using real and clear portrait photos on forum is enough to check whether the player and the account registered person are one or not".