At the regular press conference for the first quarter of 2026 of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held on April 15, in Hanoi, many "hot" issues in the field of performing arts and the digital environment were raised, including the situation of lip-syncing on stage and the abuse of AI technology to impersonate artists.
Deputy Director of the Department of Performing Arts Tran Huong Duong said that the unit has issued Official Dispatch No. 745 to the Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities to rectify dishonest performance activities.
According to the content of the official dispatch, one of the acts to be considered is "Using sound from recordings, instead of performing live on stage (public opinion calls it lip-syncing) showing signs of deceiving the audience, infringing upon the public's right to cultural enjoyment".
Mr. Duong said that this situation not only affects the quality of art but also "has a negative impact on community ethics and social psychology towards performing arts activities".
Over the past time, lip-syncing and cover-up singing have become increasingly popular in performance programs, from television stages to outdoor events. In the context of increasingly developed supporting technology, many programs allow singers to use pre-recorded versions to ensure sound quality and performance elements. However, many opinions believe that abusing this technique can reduce the authenticity and professional value of artists.
Notably, Mr. Tran Huong Duong said that in the coming time, the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee will coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Union of Literary and Art Associations to organize a thematic workshop to improve professional capacity and professional awareness for artists.
Besides the story on stage, another issue that is also of public concern is the situation of impersonating artists using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to advertise and sell goods on social networks.
According to information at the press conference, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is coordinating with functional agencies to strengthen supervision and handle violations. Mr. Tran Huong Duong emphasized that it is necessary to improve the legal framework related to protecting personal image, copyright, and at the same time raise people's awareness of fake content in cyberspace.
Regarding digital content management, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen - Deputy Director of the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information - said that current law has regulations for acts of providing false information and using confusing technology.
Content created or edited by AI must be labeled to ensure transparency," Ms. Huyen informed.
According to Ms. Huyen, Sports and Tourism, the completion of regulations on behavior in the digital environment, protecting intellectual property rights and handling violations will continue to be promoted in the coming time, in order to build a safe and healthy digital cultural environment.
