Mumbai: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released its annual complaints report for 2022-23 which contains several startling observations, especially those pertaining to advertising in the digital space.
During the period, ASCI reviewed 7,928 advertisements across different media, including print, digital, and television. ASCI has stepped up its scrutiny of ads nearly two folds over the last two years. TV and print advertisers continued to be highly compliant at 94 per cent, however, the overall compliance is lower at 81 per cent due to digital. Hence, digital ads emerged not just as a leading violator, with 75 per cent of ads processed being from the digital space, but also as the least compliant. This raises serious concerns about the safety of consumers in the online space.
As per the report, the real-money gaming industry surpassed the education sector to emerge as the most violative sector, moving from fifth to first place. An astounding number (92 per cent) of gaming advertisements reviewed by ASCI for FY 2022–23 did not adhere to the guidelines for real money gaming and failed to inform consumers about the risks of financial loss and addiction. The sector also gained the dubious distinction of being the least complaint, with only 50 per cent of ads being modified voluntarily after they have been called out. It may be remembered that ASCI released its guidelines for the Real-Money gaming sector in December 2020, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting thereafter released an advisory asking all parties to comply with the guidelines.
The report also revealed a sharp increase in the number of misleading ads featuring celebrities. ASCI processed 503 such ads, as opposed to 55 the previous year, a growth of 803 per cent. In 97 per cent of these ads, the celebrities failed to provide evidence of due diligence as mandated by the Consumer Protection Act. This again is a serious issue as ads featuring celebrities have a high impact on consumers.
In addition, influencer violations stood at 26 per cent, with 2,039 complaints being processed against them. Categories, including personal care, food and beverage and fashion and lifestyle, topped the list of influencer-related violations.
ASCI’s adoption of artificial-intelligence-based tracking has bolstered its ability to scrutinise digital media effectively, despite challenges such as the pace of advertising and the sheer number of ads to be processed. This goes to show that the self-regulatory organisation remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting responsible advertising practices and protecting consumer rights.
The ASCI Annual Complaints Report serves as a wake-up call to advertisers, platforms, and regulators, urging them to join forces and create a secure environment and foster trust among consumers.
ASCI chairman NS Rajan observed, “The digital advertising landscape is truly challenging us all and ASCI is no exception. Stepping up our surveillance through AI-based tools and a robust complaint management system has ensured that ASCI is keeping pace with this dynamic environment. Updating our codes to reflect newer consumer concerns makes sure the ASCI codes remain contemporary. We will continue to act as the conscience keeper of the Indian ad industry with transparency and future-facing expertise.”
ASCI CEO and secretary general Manisha Kapoor added, “The complaints analysis for 2022–23 clearly shows that the digital medium is leading in terms of violative ads. This raises significant concerns about online consumer safety and trust. Advertisers, content creators, and platforms must come together to address this issue on an urgent basis to protect consumer interests. In addition, the sharp increase in the number of violative gaming ads needs serious attention from the industry.”
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