Effective handling of violations in advertising activities
On the afternoon of November 25, the National Assembly discussed in the hall the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Advertising.
Delegate Thach Phuoc Binh (Tra Vinh Delegation) expressed his hope that the amendments and supplements to this draft law would pay attention to regulations on management and handling of violations in advertising activities.
Delegates said that the draft Law on Advertising 2012 mainly regulates traditional forms of advertising, and does not have specific regulations on online advertising. Currently, more than 70% of online advertising violations are handled slowly due to the lack of consistent regulations.
Therefore, delegates proposed adding a specific provision on online advertising to the draft law.
Accordingly, develop regulations to manage new forms of advertising including advertising on social networks, advertising using artificial intelligence applications, etc.; provide clear guidance on the responsibilities and obligations of parties involved in advertising (advertisers, online platforms).
Establish an inter-sectoral coordination mechanism and cooperation between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Public Security to handle violations more effectively.
According to the delegate, the advertising market share in Vietnam is currently mainly in the hands of cross-border platforms such as Facebook, Google, Tiktok... In 2023, these platforms will account for 75% of advertising revenue, while traditional newspapers will account for less than 10%.
Notably, these platforms often do not fully register their operations in Vietnam or only partially register, leading to ineffective tax management. In 2023, Vietnam lost more than VND1,000 billion from online advertising, putting pressure on the national budget revenue.
Concerned about controlling online advertising content, delegates suggested adding regulations requiring platforms to review and censor advertising content before displaying it.
Establish strong sanctions, requiring the removal of violating content within 24 hours. In particular, increase the administrative fine for false advertising to 2-3 times the benefit gained; publicize the list of violating businesses as a deterrent.
To protect consumer rights in online advertising, delegate Thach Phuoc Binh requested that advertisements must clearly state product and service information, responsible unit and after-sales support mechanism.
Issue strict sanctions against the unauthorized use of customer personal data; strengthen propaganda and raise public awareness of privacy and personal information protection.
Protecting children's rights in advertising
Delegate Trinh Thi Tu Anh (Lam Dong Delegation) said that the issue of protecting children from advertising, especially advertising on social networks, still has many difficulties.
Delegates emphasized that online advertising is very diverse and difficult to control, especially advertising displayed on unofficial websites, advertisers are always looking for new ways to attract children's attention.
This sometimes exceeds the limits allowed by law. Many parents are not fully aware of the harmful effects of advertising on children, leading to a lack of close supervision.
Therefore, it is recommended that the draft Law should include a clear definition of advertising aimed at children, including both direct and indirect advertising.
Delegates said that it is necessary to specify advertising content aimed at children and increase penalties for individuals and organizations that violate regulations. An effective monitoring mechanism should be established to detect and handle violations.
