Real Estate and Offshore Betting Ads Top ASCI's Violation List
A recent analysis by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) reveals that real estate and offshore betting are the most violative sectors in terms of advertising rules. Healthcare, education, and personal care sectors also featured prominently i
Real EstateOffshore BettingAsciAdvertising ViolationsConsumer ProtectionReal Estate MaharashtraNov 26, 2024
Between April and September 2024, ASCI reviewed 4,016 complaints and investigated 3,031 ads, with 98% of these ads requiring modifications. The council's ongoing monitoring of digital platforms led to the processing of 2,830 ads, which accounted for 93% of the total ads reviewed. Out of the ads investigated, 2,087 were found to be in violation of the law.
Of the 2,087 violative ads, 1,027 were reported to the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ASCI and MahaRERA. An additional 890 ads promoting illegal betting were reported to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), while 156 were escalated to the Ministry of Ayush for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (DMR) Act. Ten ads directly promoting liquor and four ads regarding deepfakes were also reported to MIB.
Of the 944 cases that were formally investigated, 53% of the ads were not contested by the advertisers upon receiving the complaint intimation from ASCI.
Manisha Kapoor, CEO of ASCI, stated, 'Our work in partnership with government regulators in sectors such as betting and realty is creating a positive impact. While there is still a long way to go, these partnerships are helping to improve oversight. Greenwashing is another area where we released guidelines earlier in 2024, and it will remain a focus for us. With ongoing progress in reducing our turn-around time for complaint management, ASCI’s deep experience and tech-supported efforts are evolving to provide better protection to consumers in India.'
For advertisers, the findings serve as a call to action to prioritize compliance and transparency. ASCI’s efforts are aimed at ensuring that consumers are protected from misleading and non-compliant advertising practices.
Information
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is a self-regulatory organization that aims to ensure the truthfulness and honesty of advertisements in the Indian market. It works in collaboration with various government bodies and industry stakeholders to monitor and regulate advertising content. ASCI’s mission is to maintain high ethical standards in advertising and to protect consumers from misleading and harmful ads.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the primary focus of ASCI?
- ASCI focuses on ensuring that advertisements in India are truthful, honest, and not misleading. It aims to protect consumers and maintain high ethical standards in the advertising industry.
2. Which sectors were found to be the most violative in the 2024-25 Half-Yearly Complaints Report?
- The most violative sectors were real estate (34%), illegal betting (29%), healthcare (8%), personal care (7%), and food & beverage (6%).
3. How many ads were reviewed and investigated by ASCI between April and September 2024?
- ASCI reviewed 4,016 complaints and investigated 3,031 ads during this period.
4. How many of the investigated ads were found to be in violation of the law?
- Out of the 3,031 ads investigated, 2,087 were found to be in violation of the law.
5. What actions did ASCI take regarding the violative ads?
- ASCI reported 1,027 ads to MahaRERA, 890 ads to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), and 156 ads to the Ministry of Ayush. Additionally, 10 ads promoting liquor and 4 ads regarding deepfakes were reported to MIB.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of ASCI?
ASCI focuses on ensuring that advertisements in India are truthful, honest, and not misleading. It aims to protect consumers and maintain high ethical standards in the advertising industry.
Which sectors were found to be the most violative in the 2024-25 Half-Yearly Complaints Report?
The most violative sectors were real estate (34%), illegal betting (29%), healthcare (8%), personal care (7%), and food & beverage (6%).
How many ads were reviewed and investigated by ASCI between April and September 2024?
ASCI reviewed 4,016 complaints and investigated 3,031 ads during this period.
How many of the investigated ads were found to be in violation of the law?
Out of the 3,031 ads investigated, 2,087 were found to be in violation of the law.
What actions did ASCI take regarding the violative ads?
ASCI reported 1,027 ads to MahaRERA, 890 ads to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), and 156 ads to the Ministry of Ayush. Additionally, 10 ads promoting liquor and 4 ads regarding deepfakes were reported to MIB.
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