The Government of India has announced new rules for digital advertising. These rules are very important for anyone who runs ads online or offline. Whether you advertise on Google, Facebook, TV, radio, or in print, you need to know about these new regulations.
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Advertising has grown a lot in the last few years. You see ads everywhere, and many of these ads can be scams. For example, you might see an ad, buy a product, pay for it, and then not receive it or get the wrong item. This is called a scam. One well-known example is Adivasi oil. Many people copied this famous product and sold fake versions, which hurt both the buyers and the original makers.
To stop these scams and protect consumers, the Government of India now requires advertisers to fill out a self-declaration form. This form is a promise that your ad is honest and follows the rules.
The Main Rule
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has had rules for a long time, but not everyone follows them. This new law makes it mandatory to fill out a self-declaration form before running any ad. This ensures that the ad is not violent, does not hurt anyone’s feelings, and follows all the guidelines.
How To Fill The Form
- For TV or Radio Ads:
- Go to the Broadcast Seva Portal: Broadcast Seva Portal
- Fill out the self-declaration form with details about your organization, the ad, and the platform you want to use.
- For Print or Digital Ads:
- Go to the Press Council of India’s website: Press Council of India
- Fill out the self-declaration form with similar details as above.
Benefits for the Government
Filling out this form puts you under legal compliance. This means that if you run an ad without this form, or if the ad is found to be faulty, legal action can be taken against you. The government has not yet detailed the punishments, but being compliant is important.
What You Cannot Do
- No Promoting Prohibited Products:
- You cannot advertise products like miracle cures, e-cigarettes, or any other banned items.
- Non-Discriminatory Content:
- Your ads cannot discriminate based on gender, religion, caste, etc.
- Follow ASCI Guidelines:
- The Advertising Standards Council of India has many rules you must follow when creating ads.
Who Needs to Fill This Form?
Anyone running ads, whether individually or through an agency, must fill out this form every time they launch a new ad. This helps the government keep track of who is responsible for each ad.
Drawbacks
This new rule means more work for advertisers and agencies. They need to fill out the form every time they launch an ad, which can be time-consuming. This might increase advertising costs, as agencies will have to spend more time on paperwork.
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