Handling illegal advertising: 'Kidnapping and abandoning the disc'
(Baonghean) - From May 5, 2017, Decree 28/2017/ND-CP on handling illegal advertising and classified ads officially took effect with more specific violations, higher penalties and clearer and more expanded sanctioning authority, also expected to rectify the current "chaotic" situation of illegal advertising. However, after more than half a month, the implementation still faces many difficulties...
All kinds of violations
When it comes to advertising, Vinh City is the place with the greatest demand for all kinds of different forms of advertising. However, regardless of the form, licensed or not, violations are still quite common. The case of Ms. Lam Thi Thanh (Block 13, Trung Do Ward) who was recently fined by the city's interdisciplinary inspection team at the end of April is an example. According to the inspection team's inspection report, at that time, despite not having the approval of the authorities, Ms. Lam Thi Thanh still arbitrarily hung advertising banners in the wrong locations on Le Hong Phong Street and Le Nin Street.
| Advertising spots planned by the People's Committee of Trung Do Ward (Vinh City). Photo: My Ha |
In addition, there are many other violations, the most common of which is the violation in classified advertising. On April 26, the People's Committee of Hung Loc commune imposed a fine of 2,000,000 VND (the highest level) on Mr. Trinh Van Loi (hometown in Dien Hanh commune, Dien Chau district) for administrative violations in hanging, placing, and painting advertising products on electric poles, traffic signal poles, and public trees, affecting the urban beauty.
According to statistics, from 2014 to now, Vinh city has imposed fines of 35 million VND for advertising violations. Along with that, there are dozens of other cases handled at the grassroots level, in which, the most concentrated in wards and communes such as Hung Loc, Hung Phuc, Quan Bau, Truong Thi, Hung Binh, Le Loi... Statistics also show that although Vinh city is home to many billboards with many different types of advertising, management is still difficult.
However, on many streets, it is not difficult to see images of messy boards, signs, and billboards, with inconsistent areas, not ensuring urban aesthetics and traffic safety. Moreover, the situation of banners and advertisements hanging on top of each other occurs frequently, and classified ads, written and printed, are also posted haphazardly on fences, walls and public places without any measures to prevent them.
Mr. Bui Quang Phuong - Head of the City's Department of Culture and Information said: The above situation is due to the lack of specific planning for signs. Operational management is still limited and lacks determination. The awareness of service owners is still poor, only thinking about business benefits without thinking about ensuring urban aesthetics.
| Throughout the province, although from 2013 to now, the work of inspection, examination and handling of violations has also been of interest to the cultural sector. However, due to the thin force, the number is still modest with the total number of inspection establishments stopping at only 42 establishments and the fines amounting to nearly 40 million VND. Through inspection and assessment, it is also shown that due to lack of understanding of the law or for profit, the situation of organizations and individuals violating advertising activities still occurs. Common are advertising activities on banners and small advertisements hung in shops, restaurants, and stores. Or, the situation of advertising without notification, expired advertisements so they are not removed; mobile advertisements placed arbitrarily, encroaching on sidewalks... |
Handling the "kidnap and drop the disc" style
With many diverse types and forms, in reality, the punishment of advertising violations is still very difficult. In particular, the most difficult is the handling of violations of classified advertising and leaflet distribution.
| Classified advertisements are posted on every street. Photo: My Ha |
In Trung Do ward (Vinh city), it is determined that the subjects who post classified ads often choose the night to do so. In addition to the main force of cultural officers and urban rules teams, the local government also mobilizes the masses to actively participate, mainly patrolling at night. According to the assessment of Mr. Tu Hoa Lam - Vice Chairman of the Ward People's Committee: Since stepping up inspections, violations in the area have decreased. However, if you are "negligent", everything will return to the same old situation. Handling violations is also very difficult because the violators are often students working part-time, if caught, most of them "run away".
On the city government's side, to handle the problem "at its root", it is necessary to trace the phone numbers posted on advertisements and classifieds and request the Information and Communications Department to cut off services for these phone numbers. However, according to Mr. Bui Quang Phuong, this method is also ineffective, because "if this phone number is cut off, a new phone number will appear after a while (for landline phones). As for mobile phones, either the establishments use junk SIM cards, or the owners are registered in other provinces and cities, so they do not have the authority to impose fines".
Because of the above problems, since May 5, although Decree No. 28/2017/ND-CP officially took effect and had many adjustments to increase the penalty level, clarify the authority to impose penalties... but the implementation still faces many difficulties, even "standing still".
| Mr. Hoang Minh Phuong - Deputy Head of the Department of Cultural Affairs - Department of Culture and Sports said: "The regulations on penalties are enough to deter, but the handling work still faces many difficulties. The main reason is that violators often do not have enough financial conditions to execute the decision, their residence and temporary residence are unclear, they are just hired workers... Handling phone subscribers is only effective when there is active coordination of related units such as the Department of Information and Communications, Post Office or network operators. |
Handling cases of leaflet distribution is more difficult, although this greatly affects the aesthetics and traffic safety. In reality, leaflet distribution is quite common in Vinh city and some other localities, but no one has managed it, no one has stepped up to punish it, or if there is, it is only "kidnapped and discarded", temporary or like "weeds", pulled out in one place and they grow in another, difficult to handle completely.
To solve this situation, some localities in the area have used "synchronous" measures, which are both handling violations and creating a mechanism for organizations and individuals who need to post advertisements on billboards according to planning or to advertise for free on the radio system of wards and communes... This is also considered a quite reasonable solution today to gradually propagate and raise awareness of units and individuals in advertising activities, gradually bringing advertising activities in accordance with the planning and regulations of the State./.
My Ha
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