Drug related artists make a disguised comeback, conveying serious negative signals! Platform profit driven neglects public welfare stage | Sun Xing | Artist

Not long ago, the topic of "inviting drug related artist Sun Xing to a bar without authorization and being fined 50000 yuan" made headlines. A bar in Ninghai County, Zhejiang Province invited drug related artist Sun Xing to participate in a commercial performance. Sun Xing sang a song live and cut a cake with everyone. The bar gave Sun Xing a red envelope of 20000 yuan and reimbursed the return fee. The relevant department fined the bar for holding commercial performances without approval.

This incident has sparked discussions among netizens about the comeback of drug related artists. According to the comments from the Legal Daily, the vast majority of netizens expressed opposition to the comeback of drug related artists. Some netizens say that everyone has a chance to start over, but drug artists are no longer suitable as public figures. This is the bottom line and cannot be compromised or negotiated.

On June 24th, our newspaper's legal latitude and longitude edition published an anti drug article titled "When taking family photos, he subconsciously turned his back to visit the" mosaic life "of the anti drug police officers of the Dehong Border Management Detachment.". The article also made headlines, and netizens exclaimed about the danger and difficulty of drug police. A netizen left a message asking: Under the spotlight, drug heroes can only "hide", while drug artists can "perform"? Some netizens also expressed their firm opposition to the comeback of drug related artists.

Multiple interviewed experts believe that the comeback of drug artists can lead to serious negative tendencies, making teenagers believe that drug use can be easily quit and has little impact on their personal development, and even triggering imitation. We will never allow drug related artists to return to the stage. We must improve laws and establish systems to prohibit drug related artists from making disguised comebacks, cut off the chain of interests for drug related artists to make comebacks, and purify the entertainment industry environment.

Drug related artists returning to the stage

Transmitting severe adverse signals

Once an artist is involved in drugs, they are often criticized by the public. But after a period of time, some drug related artists began to become active again. They either acted or performed in business, and some used their past fame to become internet celebrities, including artist Sun Xing - he has over 800000 fans on a certain short video platform. From the video content released, his daily life is quite comfortable, and he can travel and perform everywhere. A netizen left a message saying, "This is the life state we envy.".

According to public reports, in April 2011, Sun Xing was arrested by the public security organs on suspicion of drug use and drug possession. During the interrogation process, he admitted to having a 5-year history of drug use. With the widespread attention paid to the punishment of the bar that invited him for commercial performances, Sun Xing's own account can no longer be searched on the aforementioned short video platforms.

Not only Sun Xing, but also drug related artists Wang Xuebing, Song Dongye, Yin Xiangjie, and others have tried their best to make indirect and covert comebacks.

On a certain short video platform, "Singer Yin Xiangjie" has 2.11 million fans. His short videos are roughly divided into outings, daily life with family, and some live performances and activities. Eight years ago, the court sentenced Yin Xiangjie to seven months in prison for the crime of illegal possession of drugs; After being released, he was arrested again for drug use and confessed to having a history of drug use for over ten years.

In a pop-up video on his account's homepage, Yin Xiangjie sat in front of the camera and once again sang a hit song, receiving 620000 likes and 30000 comments. Someone left a message saying "Teacher Yin, come on! Wait for you to live stream", while others retorted, "Think of the drug police officer who sacrificed himself, he is unforgivable.". Since the beginning of this year, Yin Xiangjie has not only participated in commercial performances, but also released videos of new songs being released online.

Drug related artists have returned to the public eye, often sparking heated discussions.

A netizen suggested, "No one can be without faults unless they are sages. As long as they reform, please give them a chance." "Everyone has the right to work, and not letting their comeback deprive drug artists of their right to work.". Some drug related artists also argue that they cannot make a comeback, saying, "What else do I need? Isn't it true that the whole society should give opportunities to those who once broke the law?"

But more netizens explicitly oppose: "Can the sacrificed drug police be revived? Why should drug artists be allowed to make a comeback?" "Public figures should have a sense of social responsibility. Drug related issues violate principles, and zero tolerance should be allowed to make a comeback." "360 lines, can we only resume normal life in the entertainment industry? We can work, but don't appear in front of the screen anymore?"

"The comeback of drug related artists, or the display of so-called 'peaceful years' on online platforms, can send a serious negative signal to society - it is easy to quit drugs, and even after being involved in drugs, they still live a prosperous, dignified, and nourishing life. This is not conducive to the public, especially young people, to establish a correct understanding of drug violations and crimes." Wu Chunyong, Executive Deputy Secretary General of the Star Endorsement Standards Working Committee of the Beijing Advertising Association, said that banning drug related artists from comeback is a bottom line, red line, and high pressure line.

"The words and actions of artists deeply influence many fans, especially young people who are not yet mentally mature. Bringing drug-related artists back to life can lead to serious negative tendencies, making young people believe that drug use can be easily quit and has no impact on their personal development, even leading to imitation." Zheng Ning, Director of the Law Department of the School of Cultural Industry Management at Communication University of China, said that it cannot be avoided that the country has paid a huge cost and price for drug control work, including the anti drug police who sacrificed their lives for the anti drug cause.

The official Weibo account of the Public Security Administration of the Ministry of Public Security, "China Police Online," once wrote, "Please remember: every penny spent on drugs is a bullet fired at the anti drug police.".

Platform profit driven neglects public welfare

Drug related artists make a disguised comeback

Drug related artists are typical unscrupulous and immoral artists, and are key banned objects in the entertainment industry. The China Performance Industry Association has formulated the "Self discipline Management Measures for Performers in the Performance Industry", which stipulate that unscrupulous artists will be subject to a joint boycott by the association's member units for a period of 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, or even a permanent period. The Network Audiovisual Program Management Department of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and the Publishing Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department jointly issued a notice on strengthening the management of game live broadcasts on network audiovisual program platforms, which strictly prohibits illegal and unethical individuals from using live broadcasts to speak out and appear on stage.

So, why do some drug related artists still receive commercial performances?

According to Yu Feng, a researcher at the Legislative and Legal Strategy Research Center of East China Normal University, who has written "Entertainment Law", on the one hand, some businesses may not be aware that the invited artists have drug related issues, as there is currently no authoritative platform in China to search for the list of unscrupulous artists; On the other hand, some merchants may actively invite or "selectively forget" for the sake of traffic or benefits, even though they are aware of it.

"As is well known, inviting artists to perform is expensive. Therefore, some businesses invite unscrupulous artists to perform, which can achieve low costs and also leverage certain celebrity effects for promotion." said Yang Yong, a researcher at the Intellectual Property Law and Policy Research Institute of East China University of Political Science and Law, who has previously worked in relevant cultural management departments.

Li Qingwei, a professor at the Law School of Shanghai University and president of the Cultural Industry Rule of Law Research Association of the Shanghai Law Society, agrees with this. He said that in the entertainment industry, there is such a counter effect - the more negative it is, the greater the commercial effect it may bring. Some businesses, in pursuit of profit, regardless of the reputation of their artists, may invite drug related artists to appear as long as they can bring them commercial benefits.

"Merchants inviting drug related artists for commercial performances are nothing more than pursuing economic benefits, but they overlook social welfare," Zheng Ning pointed out.

For the current phenomenon of some drug related artists entering the Internet platform to return to the public's view, in Wu Chunyong's view, the purpose is to reshape the public image and build themselves into traffic stars, so as to achieve subsequent economic benefits.

Zheng Ning and Yu Feng also noticed this phenomenon. In the view of two experts, even if drug-related artists enter short video platforms and publish content that seems unrelated to their artist identity, such as being a singer before, now conducting cooking live broadcasts on short video platforms, and posting short videos of daily life, they essentially rely on their artist identity to return to the public's view in a visual and auditory way through their own image, voice, name, and other symbols with significant personality characteristics, which is a disguised comeback and is not allowed under current policies.

"Drug related artists have a significant negative demonstration effect on society. If allowed to be active on social media platforms, no matter what kind of content is displayed, they may gain traffic and can be monetized through traffic. This can also mislead the public, leading to the belief that they can continue to work in front of the stage to earn money even after becoming a notorious artist." Zheng Ning explained.

"In today's era where 'traffic is king', various platforms are increasingly considering traffic as an important assessment criterion, but traffic cannot be used as the 'resurrection card' for drug artists. Yu Feng said that drug artists can gain exposure from traffic and then monetize it. For example, Sun Xing, if it weren't for frequent online exposure, the possibility of merchants inviting him for commercial performances would be greatly reduced.".

Yu Feng believes that whether from the perspective of maintaining online order or defending the reputation of the platform, the platform should strictly implement its main responsibility and block the gap of unscrupulous artists making arbitrary and disguised comebacks.

Restricting the employment of drug-related artists

Not deprivation of labor rights

In the wave of banning drug related artists from making comebacks, some argue that banning their comebacks and engaging in performing arts work would infringe on the labor and employment rights of drug related artists?

In response to this, Li Wenjun, Director of the Anti Drug Theory and Policy Research Center at People's Public Security University of China, said in a media interview that drug rehabilitation is a relatively long process, which not only requires physical and psychological detoxification, but also enables drug users to smoothly achieve social return. Therefore, relevant laws provide for the protection of the rights of drug rehabilitation personnel. "We advocate for all sectors of society to help all drug rehabilitation patients, including entertainment stars, smoothly return to a positive and healthy life. However, this return cannot be equated with the so-called 'return to the stage'. Prohibiting their return does not mean that their employment rights to engage in other labor are not guaranteed."

"Prohibiting a comeback is not a 'one stop ban' on their employment or a complete deprivation of the survival path for drug related artists. The field of employment is very broad, not just the path of performing arts work," said Yang Yong.

This also aligns with the views of many netizens: banning drug related artists from making comebacks does not mean that they are not denied a way out. Society is tolerant of those who have reformed, and drug related artists can engage in business, work and deliver food, and even engage in behind the scenes work in the entertainment industry. Just don't come to the stage to give young people wrong guidance.

"Prohibiting drug related artists from returning to the stage and engaging in other non performing jobs does not deprive them of their labor and employment rights," Zheng Ning said.

"Considering the social function and impact of special professions, it is necessary and legitimate to impose occupational restrictions on drug-related artists." In the view of Shen Jianfeng, Dean of the Law School of the China University of Labor Relations, prohibiting drug-related artists from returning will not infringe on their labor and employment rights.

Shen Jianfeng analyzed that banning drug related artists from returning is only a professional restriction and does not involve issues of labor rights. "The right to work and the freedom to work have different levels, but everyone's employment and labor are subject to legal restrictions. Freedom must be achieved within the framework and premise of the law, and it cannot be abstractly said that employment freedom can do anything. It is necessary to make necessary requirements for the qualifications of specific objects in specific situations, or to impose specific legal restrictions on situations where specific industries cannot be accessed.".

"However, admission qualifications and prohibitions should be matched with the purpose of protection, with necessary limits and not unlimited prohibitions, as their professional interests are also worth protecting. However, there is a legal basis for prohibiting specific individuals from engaging in certain professions." Shen Jianfeng said.

Several experts have also proposed establishing and improving a system of restrictions on the employment of drug-related artists.

"In judicial practice, for those who commit crimes such as sexual assault, abuse, trafficking, and violent injury, the court should make a judgment prohibiting them from engaging in work that closely contacts minors. The system of prohibition of employment is clearly stipulated in the Criminal Law and the Law on the Protection of Minors." Yu Feng said that the existing prohibition of employment lacks mandatory provisions for drug related and other unscrupulous artists, allowing individual drug related artists to take advantage of loopholes.

"Relevant legal systems should be established, such as prohibiting drug related artists from engaging in performing arts, teaching, and other professions that have close contact with minors." Yu Feng said that currently, some local drug control regulations have provisions similar to prohibition of employment, and unified national legal provisions can be introduced on this basis.

"Employment restrictions mean that artists will completely lose opportunities in performing arts, which has a great impact on them. However, precisely because drug related activities are particularly heinous illegal and criminal activities, measures such as' lifetime ban on employment 'and' permanent boycott 'should be applied to drug related artists." Yu Feng said.

Establish a public query roster

Cut off the chain of benefits for comeback

In Wu Chunyong's view, in recent years, unscrupulous artists, including those involved in drugs, have sought to make a comeback through various means. There is an economic chain behind this, and some performing arts institutions want to re promote unscrupulous artists and even drug-related artists, in order to obtain corresponding economic benefits. Therefore, it is necessary to cut off the chain of interests for drug related artists to make a comeback.

Yu Feng noticed that the bar that invited drug-related artist Sun Xing for commercial performances was fined, based on violating the Regulations on the Administration of Commercial Performances by inviting artists to participate in commercial performances without authorization. He analyzed that the reason why there is no involvement of drug related artists is because in practice, it is often difficult to determine whether bar operators are aware that the invited artists are drug related artists. Currently, relevant departments have not established a public search list for drug related artists.

Therefore, he suggests that authoritative departments should establish a list of drug-related artists that can be queried, and establish relevant systems to clarify that performance organizers have an obligation to conduct background checks on the artists to be invited. Drug related artists listed on the list are not allowed to be invited; Punish violators.

Yang Yong introduced that for commercial performances by artists, the current management is mainly based on the "Regulations on the Management of Commercial Performances", through pre administrative approval of performance activities. The Notice on Strengthening the Production and Communication Management of Radio and Television Programs, Film and Television Dramas, and Online Audiovisual Programs, as well as the Self discipline Management Measures for Performers in the Performance Industry, are normative documents and cannot set administrative penalties.

"That is to say, apart from pre approval, relevant law enforcement agencies cannot punish drug related artists participating in commercial performances based on relevant documents. In response to drug related artist commercial performances, they can only rely on joint boycotts by various units in the industry." Yang Yong said that in practice, many performance agencies do not perform according to the approved content, and even do not apply for approval from relevant administrative departments in advance, which gives drug related artists the opportunity to take advantage of loopholes.

Yang Yong said that although some places have issued local regulations to regulate the commercial performances of unscrupulous artists involved in drugs, there are problems with inconsistent recognition and punishment standards. Therefore, it is necessary to establish nationwide laws and regulations, establish and improve a system to prohibit the invitation of unscrupulous artists, including drug related artists, to perform, and shift the handling of violators from "industry boycotts" to "government departments imposing administrative penalties in accordance with the law.".

In Yu Feng's view, cutting off the chain of interests for drug related artists to make a comeback requires multiple approaches: scientific legislation, the formulation of laws and regulations to prevent the comeback and disguised comeback of unscrupulous artists, increasing and clarifying the consequences that should be borne if the main responsibility is not fully implemented, and establishing a sound system to prohibit "inviting unscrupulous artists to participate in performances"; Strictly enforce the law and adopt a strict "double punishment system" for violators, punishing both unscrupulous artists and organizations or organizers who provide opportunities and platforms for their comeback; Everyone should abide by the law, strengthen the cultivation of law-abiding awareness among unscrupulous artists, industry organizations, performance institutions, performance organizers, and platforms, and advocate for a new social trend.

As stated on the official Weibo account of People's Daily, "a lifetime ban on drug use" should be the bottom line, and "cherish life and stay away from drugs" should be the consensus.