Healthcare sector accounted for a maximum 19% or 1,569 of 8,229 advertisements scrutinised by ASCI during 2023-24. Nearly 86% of drugs found illegal were on digital platforms.
Advertising Standards Council of India also says such ads must not disrespect dignity of those on whose behalf appeal is made & not mislead consumers or cause them unjustified distress.
The new guidelines, applicable from 1 September, aim to curb companies misleading consumers about final price, remaining stock, among other 'dark patterns' in online advertising.
In response to manipulative advertisement techniques violating consumer rights, DoCA and ASCI are encouraging platforms to create user-friendly spaces.
Use of disclaimers must be kept to minimum, say amended guidelines from Advertising Standards Council of India. This comes in backdrop of new govt rules on social media influencers.
Social media influencers are also increasingly violating norms, says ASCI, which received 14% more complaints against ads in April-September 2022 than same period last year.
No clear central law on what differentiates brand extensions from surrogate ads, other issues like privacy also proving difficult to navigate, self-regulatory body’s CEO says in interview.
Dismissing unconditional cash transfers through the parochial logic of ‘unearned assistance is undeserving’ narrows the space for policy innovation and restricts possibilities for social mobility.
December oil imports from Russia may drop nearly 50%, but Indian buyers already shifting to non-designated Russian entities and opaque trading channels to keep Russian oil flowing.
The helicopters produced by Lockheed Martin are known as ‘submarine hunters’. India ordered 24 of these aircraft in 2020 to replace the Sea King helicopters. 15 have been delivered till date.
The India-South Africa series-defining fact is the catastrophic decline of Indian red ball cricket where a visiting team can mock us with the 'grovel' word.
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