New Delhi: If you are an active social media user, it is likely that you have come across heartbreaking advertisements seeking help in the form of donations. While these ads may be genuine, they can cause distress to viewers, or in some cases, guilt for not being able to contribute.
Taking cognisance of this, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), which is the self-regulatory body of the advertising industry, issued some rules for such ads Thursday. The rules say that such ads cannot make you feel “ashamed” for not supporting a charity. The guidelines will be implemented from 1 August.
“It’s perfectly understandable that charitable organisations want to do everything possible to raise awareness and funds for their causes. However, they must take care not to overstep the mark by misleading consumers or causing unjustified distress,” ASCI said in its latest guidelines.
The body noted that in recent years, charities have been active advertisers, particularly on digital media, and especially for the purpose of seeking funds and crowdfunding on behalf of their beneficiaries.
“However, there have been some concerns about ads that create donor distress through the use of images that may be too graphic. While the intent of such posts is undoubtedly to nudge donors to contribute, they may cause undue distress to ordinary consumers who may be surfing through their news feeds,” it said.
The ASCI acknowledged that it can be challenging for charities to explain the nature of the important, and often sensitive, work they do in a way that educates, but doesn’t distress their audience.
“An advertisement for a charitable organisation or crowdsourcing platform for charity shall not overtly or pointedly suggest that anyone who doesn’t support the charity fails in their responsibility or should feel ashamed,” read the guidelines.
Additionally, advertisements must not disrespect the dignity of those on whose behalf an appeal is being made, by any means, including showing graphic images of victims in distress, particularly children and minors, they added.
“An advertiser must be able to produce evidence of express consent for the use of images of beneficiaries if asked to do so,” the guidelines further read.
The ASCI also emphasised that in digital advertising, any image shown in an ad that could cause unjustified distress to an ordinary consumer, must be blurred and made visible only to those interested in clicking and knowing more.
“When an appeal is made for a specific case or a specific beneficiary, the ad must disclose if the funds could potentially be used for other purposes or other beneficiaries. Ads must not mislead consumers about where or to whom their donations are going,” it said.
Additionally, if a crowdsourcing platform collects a percentage or fee for managing or raising donor funds, it must be made clear what such amounts are in the advertisement itself, the guidelines added.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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