Despite public outcry, some artists and celebrities continue to engage in provocative actions, violate cultural norms, and endorse misleading advertisements, causing outrage in society.

According to Associate Professor Bùi Hoài Sơn, permanent member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, provocative statements and actions are garnering significant attention, contributing to the increased fame of many individuals and consequently affecting young viewers.

Model and actress N.T. and her motorcycles have become a "buzzword" on social media these days.

Last month, N.T. posted multiple clips on her social media showing her riding a motorcycle and striking dangerous poses in HCM City.

The HCM City Traffic Police Department and relevant authorities temporarily confiscated the motorcycles featured in N.T.'s videos and issued a fine.

On October 19, she was arrested and detained on charges of "disturbing public order," as stipulated in Article 318 of the Criminal Code.

On October 21, social media buzzed with images of circus performers Q.C. and Q.N., in collaboration with a car company, shooting an advertisement video.

Both were seen without helmets, performing daring stunts on a motorcycle, sparking widespread discussion online.

"This performance was executed by professional performers in a fully controlled environment. Please do not attempt to imitate in any way,” the brand said in response to the intense reactions from social media users and later removed the advertisement.

A similar instance was seen with singer Sơn Tùng M-TP who was fined VNĐ70 million for releasing the music video "There’s no one at all", which contained negative messages.

The issue of celebrities endorsing dubious products on social media has become a concerning problem as well.

The Need for Social Responsibility Education

Experts argue that celebrities have a certain social influence, and their association with any product in advertisements significantly affects consumers' thoughts and decisions.

When celebrities endorse low-quality products or services, a significant portion of consumers, trusting the celebrities, may purchase and use these products, leading to unexpected consequences.

This becomes even more dangerous when celebrities endorse products related to human health inaccurately.

“Even an ordinary person should have social responsibility, let alone entertainment figures and celebrities,” musician Tiến Luân said, adding that many regrettable consequences come as a result of misleading advertisements from celebrities.

From another perspective, musician Võ Thiện Thanh believes that celebrities need to be equipped with additional skills and knowledge about social responsibility.

Applying strict codes of conduct for artists and behavior on social media is the best way to protect their own image.

"Many celebrities have been reminded and dealt with strictly when there are violations on social media. Timely warnings are a clear message for everyone to respect the law, both in real life and on social media," said Associate Professor Bùi Hoài Sơn.

"At the end of the year, there will be a 'process for handling artists' violation'," he emphasised, adding that necessary tools are crucial to better encompass those who violate the norms. 

A process of handling violations committed by celebrities and influential individuals on social media is currently being developed by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

The proposal has been submitted for opinions from the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, and other relevant authorities and is awaiting approval. It is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Violators will face control and restriction of their image and activities.

That being said, in practice, punishing violating artists and celebrities is not simple because it involves human factors.

In particular, when the penalties are not proportional, they can significantly impact the artists' careers and reputation. — VNS