The Indian government and advertising watchdog ASCI have joined hands to protect consumer rights and strengthen regulations’ enforcement, especially those related to misleading ad campaigns.

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) and the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) both operate with a mutual goal of protecting consumer interests. This objective is central to the missions of both ASCI and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), a government mandated body, when it comes to the issue of misleading advertisements.

ASCI’s code and associated guidelines in the area of advertising are in sync with several guidelines enforced by the Central Consumer Protection Authority. These encompass guidelines concerning misleading advertisements, dark patterns, influencer guidelines, coaching institutes, greenwashing and more, the ad watchdog said in a media statement yesterday.

In light of this alignment, the CCPA has recognized that any violation of ASCI‘s code pertaining to misleading advertisements may potentially contravene the Consumer Protection Act of 2019 and its related guidelines.

Therefore, according to the ASCI statement, the CCPA has requested the advertising watchdog to forward any advertisement that is non-compliant with the ASCI Code and could potentially violate the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, along with its accompanying guidelines, to the government for appropriate action.

Any such case escalated by ASCI, concerning misleading advertisements, will be promptly addressed and handled in strict accordance with the Consumer Protection Act 2019 by the CCPA.

This collaboration comes amidst the growing complexity of the advertising landscape, especially with respect to digital advertising.

Commenting on this development, Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary DoCA, said, “The alignment between ASCI’s code and CCPA’s guidelines highlights a collective effort towards promoting transparency and fairness in advertising. With similar objectives, CCPA and ASCI can work in complementary ways to ensure that any infringements are addressed effectively.

“New challenges are being created by digital advertising, and keeping pace demands a collaborative approach with like-minded bodies. Regulators working closely with self-regulators is an established best practice, and we hope that with this partnership, regulation of Indian advertising keeps getting more effective.”

ASCI CEO Manisha Kapoor said that the organisation has been working closely with DoCA and CCPA on several issues, and that ASCI was “delighted to deepen this relationship”.

“ASCI has deep expertise and specialization in advertising regulation and we thank CCPA and DoCA for their trust and their collaborative approach. A robust self-regulatory system helps all stakeholders and this partnership is a positive step in taking self-regulation to the next level,” she added.