New Ad Certification Mandate Effective June 18
Advertisers Must Now Submit Self-Declaration Certificates For New Ads Starting June 18 To Comply With Supreme Court Directives, Ensuring No Misleading Claims
Priya
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has reportedly instructed advertisers and broadcasters to release new advertisements with self-declaration certificates starting June 18.
Following a Supreme Court directive to ensure ads do not make misleading claims, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has mandated that all new ads must have self-declaration certificates from June 18 onwards. This mandate does not apply to older ads.
Despite requests from various stakeholders for more time to understand the new process, ASCI has advised its members to halt airing or publishing new ads until July 9, when the Supreme Court will review the matter. Industry groups like the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) are considering joining the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Union of India in legal proceedings.
Additionally, bodies such as ISA, the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), and the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) have requested the MIB to delay implementing the self-declaration mandate, citing technical and procedural concerns. However, in a recent meeting, MIB reiterated its commitment to the June 18 deadline.
ASCI CEO and Secretary General Manisha Kapoor released a statement advising advertisers and agencies to use the buffer period to familiarize themselves with the new portal and certification requirements. She emphasized that MIB has added new features to their portals to facilitate the self-declaration process in compliance with the Supreme Court's directive. Kapoor noted the significant challenge posed by the volume of creatives needing certification and encouraged advertisers to use ASCI's Advertising Advice service to ensure compliance with the ASCI Code, part of the Advertising Code under the Cable TV Network (Regulation) Act. This certification is now required for print, TV, and internet ads, and no ads will be permitted in any media without it.
All advertisers can sign up at https://cbcindia.gov.in/cbc/advt-reg.
