Celebrities who advertise falsely will be restricted from activities

Currently, on social networks, there are advertisements by singers, actors, and models about products sold online that are not true, typically weight loss products or skin care creams. The recent case of false advertising of Kera vegetable candy by Quang Linh Vlog, Hang Du Muc, and Miss Thuy Tien is a typical example.

On the afternoon of April 6, at the Government press conference, representatives of press agencies asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism: "Does the Ministry have any mechanisms or proposals to more strictly manage and control the participation of influential people in society in advertising?"

Permanent Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Hai Binh said that celebrities participating in advertising is a common phenomenon in life. Recently, with the development of social networks, influencers, famous singers and artists advertising on social networks has become an increasingly popular trend. To regulate these advertising activities, there is the Advertising Law.

With the increasing appearance of advertisements on social networks, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Information and Communications have previously taken many measures to inspect, monitor and handle existing problems and limitations in this activity.

For example, in June 2021, the Minister of Information and Communications issued a Code of Conduct on social networks. In December 2021, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism also issued a Code of Conduct for people participating in artistic activities on social networks.

“With more and more new things in practice, we are amending and supplementing the Advertising Law. During the process of amending the Advertising Law, we received many enthusiastic and very practical comments. We plan to add some specific provisions related to celebrities participating in advertising. Notably, those participating in online advertising must be responsible before the law in general and the Advertising Law in particular regarding the products they advertise. Second, they must be responsible, have specific verification and transparency about the products they advertise,” Mr. Le Hai Binh emphasized.

When making laws, relevant units include decrees and it is also expected that the decree related to the implementation of the Advertising Law will have specific provisions regulating the activities of celebrities and artists participating in online advertising.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to increase sanctions related to fines or bans on advertising, and even take measures to restrict artistic activities and appearances on media and social networks if violations occur.

Mr. Le Hai Binh pointed out that state management in this field has been in place since very early on, and has been implemented very specifically, with many measures, and in the coming time, laws, decrees and related documents will be further strengthened.

In particular, the press through media channels together propagates to help people improve their understanding and awareness when viewing real or fake online advertisements. In addition, the press also contributes to raising awareness of celebrities, artists, famous singers and actors when advertising so that they realize that participating in advertisements can easily trade off their reputation and public love that they have worked so hard to build.