She emphasized that she and her family members have been the victims of hostile, vulgar comments. A group of social media users constantly attack, slander, mock and insult her and her family members, and they cannot be collectively referred to as “audiences”. Her boyfriend, MC Lam Bao Chau, has also frequently been maliciously defamed, she said.

“Why does no one come forward and handle this for me?” the singer asked in frustration.

Le Quyen said the issue has taken a heavy toll on her mental health: “At times, I feel my spine go numb, my head turn cold, and I feel stunned because of the baselessly harsh words. I have to endure it just because I am an artist. Which law says I have to?”

According to the singer, verbal attacks are the "most terrifying weapon." Le Quyen insists that she "occasionally uses self-defense with a few words when necessary, still within control," and that there are no other measures to handle this group of netizens.

She believes that the continued support from her loyal audience shows that she is not deviating from standards.

"I always know I am an artist, always understand and endure the downsides of the profession. But I am a human being," the singer concluded.

For about two years, Le Quyen's responses to conflicting comments have been a topic of public discussion. Her comments scolding anti-fans on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok often spark minor controversies.

Since joining Threads, she has drawn attention as the frequency of her scolding has skyrocketed; her manner of response has been increasingly vulgar over time.

Many people commented that beyond controversy over standards of conduct, Le Quyen’s behavior has also shown signs of violating the law.

Lawyer Hoang Ha from the HCMC Bar Association saidthe Threads account lequyensinger, with a blue verification tick, used language that was inappropriate, aggressive, and personally insulting.

According to him, the behavior should be considered from two perspectives. As a social media user, every citizen must comply with regulations on civilized conduct and cybersecurity.

Meanwhile, the comments show signs of violating the 2018 Cybersecurity Law through acts that “infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of other individuals,” specifically acts that insult the honor and dignity of others.

Point a, Clause 1, Article 101 of Decree 15/2020/ND-CP (amended by Decree 14/2022/ND-CP) stipulates fines ranging from VND10 million to VND20 million for acts of abusing social networks to: “Provide or share fabricated information, false information, distortions, slander, or content that damages the reputation of agencies or organizations, or the honor and dignity of individuals.”

Clause 1, Article 3 of the Code of Conduct on Social Media (issued together with Decision 874/QD-BTTTT dated June 17, 2021) sets out the rule: “Comply with Vietnamese law and respect the lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals.”

For organizations and individuals using social media, Clause 6, Article 4 states: “Do not post content that violates the law or information that insults honor and dignity and affects the lawful rights and interests of other organizations and individuals; do not use offensive language that violates cultural norms or spread fake or false information; advertise or conduct illegal business activities… causing public outrage and affecting social order and safety.”

Ha stressed that artists are public figures with significant social influence and cultural impact, so ethical standards for them are stricter than for ordinary people.

The statements may violate the Code of Conduct for people working in the arts sector (Decision 3196/QD-BVHTTDL in 2021).

He added that if these comments are confirmed to have come from Le Quyen, she faces legal risks of administrative penalties under Decree 15/2020/ND-CP for insulting others on social media.

Asked about the effectiveness of legal sanctions in adjusting singer Le Quyen's behavior, lawyer Hoang Ha said they are "effective but only temporary."

To truly adjust the behavior and attitude of an A-list star like Le Quyen, the decisive factors are public pressure and the management rules of cultural agencies.

Ha added that there are many artists willing to pay fines just to “say whatever they want”. What can truly adjust her behavior is not fear of fines, but fear of losing her image in mainstream media, public backlash, and actions taken by regulatory authorities.

Tinh Le