VietNamNet Bridge – Besides gender inequality, some National Assembly deputies were displeased with advertisements aiming at children, which contain sensitive images or can guide kids to bad habbits.

The National Assembly on November 14 considered the Advertising Law and the Resolution on State Budget 2012, which are very hot topics.

Last year the advertising industry developed strongly and earned VND200 trillion ($10 billion) in revenue. However, there are some problems with this industry, which must be timely corrected.

At the NA meeting on November 14, deputies said that the Advertising Law must be issued as soon as possible to restore order in the advertising market, when custom and habits, cultural values in advertising clips are disregarded.

Deputy Nguyen Van Tuyet from Ba Ria-Vung Tau said it’s time for the state to strictly control advertising on the media. “There are so many untrue advertisements which have adverse impacts on consumers but consumers do not know where to complain to,” Tuyet said.

Tuyet proposed to add articles on penalties on untrue advertisement to the Advertising Law.

Deputy Le Thi Nguyet, from Vinh Phuc, said that the nice goal of advertisement is only achieved when the conten is honest. However, many advertising clips are untrue and some unintentionally encourage gender inequality and discrimination on women and children.

Nguyet said in almost all advertising clips on cleaning products, rice cookers, spices, food, washing machines and fridges, characters are women who are taking care of children, cooking in kitchen, selecting goods in supermarkets, cleaning the floor or washing clothes…

On the contrary, in clips that have men as characters, they are involving in funny entertaining activities, driving luxurious cars, listening to phone calls or lying on a couch to watch TV. “These advertising clips unintentionally deliver a distorted message that women have to to take care of housework, take care of their husbands and children,” Nguyet said.

Nguyet asked the Advertising Law compilation committee to add a clause that bans such advertising clips.

Deputy Nguyen Thuy Trang from HCM City said children are highly influenced by advertisement so the Law needs to ban advertisements that are too exaggerated.

Deputy Nguyen Van Canh from Binh Dinh proposed to have article to protect children of less than 18 years old from the impact of sensitive advertising clips. Canh said that a lot of advertising clips are played by celebrities so the influence of advertisement is large. “Those who play in advertising clips must be responsible for their activities and seeches.”

Loan - Hoang