Advertising body ties up with CCPA to tighten regulation on misleading ads

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) on Tuesday announced a tie-up with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to strengthen regulation around misleading ads.

The CCPA has requested ASCI 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 CCPA for appropriate action, a statement said.

"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," Department of Consumer Affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said.

"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," he added.

Singh said that in case of repeat offenders or CCPA guidelines are not adhered to voluntarily, the CCPA has powers to impose fines and penalties, and added that it will not "shy away" from enforcing the provisions of the Act.

ASCI chief executive and secretary general Manisha Kapoor said the body has expertise and specialization in advertising regulation, and added that it had been working closely with CCPA in the past as well.