The Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recently announced two administrative sanctions against Ms. Nguyen Thi Thai Hang (known as Hang Du Muc) and Mr. Pham Quang Linh (popularly known as Quang Linh Vlogs) due to violations related to advertising practices.
As per the Department’s decision, KOC figures Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc were receiving administrative sanctions following Clause 5, Article 34 under Decree No. 38/2021/ND-CP, as amended by Decree No. 129/2021/ND-CP, for violations pertaining to misleading advertising practices. Specifically, the sanctions were imposed due to the dissemination of inaccurate information that resulted in consumer confusion regarding the advertised product's quality.
Each individual received a fine of VND70 million for the aforementioned misconduct. Additionally, Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc must take corrective actions by mandating the rectification of information related to the violation.
In a prior livestream sales event conducted on social media platforms, influencers Nguyen Thi Thai Hang (Hang Du Muc), Pham Quang Linh (Quang Linh Vlogs), and Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien promoted the Kera vegetable candy product, manufactured by ASIA LIFE Joint Stock Company (Dak Lak) and distributed by Chi Em Rot Group Joint Stock Company (CER Group). The promotional content included claims that the product possessed high fiber content, specifically stating that '1 candy is equal to a whole plate of vegetables,' which constitutes a potentially misleading representation of the product's nutritional value.
The event rapidly ignited a fervent discussion when a consumer submitted Kera candy to the Technical Center for Standards, Measurement, and Quality 2 for analysis. In collaboration with the state management agency, Hang Du Muc, Quang Linh Vlogs, and Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien all acknowledged their errors in not fully comprehending the ingredients of the functional foods prior to endorsing the product, which resulted in the dissemination of misleading information during the livestream sales.
Following an assessment of the infractions of those involved in the case, the Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information issued administrative sanctioned against Pham Quang Linh and Nguyen Thi Thai Hang, the principal operators of the livestream session, for disseminating false advertising that misled consumers regarding product quality. Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, who appeared as a guest, subsequently received a formal reminder to ensure future compliance with advertising laws and online information dissemination regulations.
The Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information affirms that it will coordinate with relevant agencies to strictly handle violations when it receives feedback and sufficient evidence regarding celebrities who are accused of falsely advertising consumer products and food through social media posts or livestream sales, a common practice nowadays.
