In November 2023, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) launched the Digital Advertisement Policy to promote responsible digital advertising. The MIB is currently developing rules to regulate online advertisements, including influencer marketing. In response to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry clarified that it is in the process of creating rules for online advertisement regulation as per the revised Allocation of Business Rules, updated in July 2023.
These updated rules place online content providers, publishers, and advertisements under the MIB’s purview. As part of this, a Code of Ethics for digital news publishers and OTT platforms has been introduced, alongside a three-tier grievance redressal system: Level-I (Publisher), Level-II (Self-Regulating Body), and Level-III (Central Government Oversight). Additionally, publishers must provide information to the government as part of compliance.
To further streamline regulation, the MIB has introduced a self-declaration mechanism for advertisers on platforms like the Broadcast Seva Portal and the Press Council of India’s portal. However, concerns about the practicality of this self-declaration system in the complex and fast-paced ad landscape led to its restriction to the food and health sectors.
The Digital Advertisement Policy aims to empower the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) to manage government campaigns in the digital space, promoting awareness of central schemes and programs. Meanwhile, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) enforces regulations against misleading advertisements, with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) monitoring digital ad violations. Despite these efforts, digital media continues to report the highest number of ASCI guideline violations.
