A. No.
First, let's see what is 12b-1 fee?
The fee derives its name from Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, which permits fund companies to act as distributors of their own funds. These fees pay brokers and firms for selling the funds — and platforms like custodians or brokerages that provide shareholder services.
Clients can pay this fee out of both mutual funds and ETF assets — it goes to cover distribution (marketing and selling), and sometimes shareholder services, which include responding to client inquiries and providing information about investments, according to the SEC.
Vanguard has built a reputation for driving down costs and improving fund transparency, but it accepts these fees from clients invested in third-party funds on its retail and robo advisor platforms. It does so even as regulators and industry advocates raise concerns over their usage.