Consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh on Monday said that in light of the recently-notified norms related to advertisements and promotions on social media, it is important that the disclosures be mentioned clearly.

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Telling the influencer community to ensure that “disclosures must be hard to miss and not mixed with a group of hashtags or links,” Singh said that for endorsements in pictures, disclosures should be superimposed over the image, and for endorsements in videos, disclosures should be made in both audio and video formats. In live streams, disclosures should be continuously displayed and prominently placed.

Industry estimates suggest that there are over 75 crore internet users in India, of which 50 crore are social media users.

Singh was delivering a keynote address at the #GetItRight Brand Influencer Summit 2023 organised by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) in Mumbai today. While attending it virtually, Singh shared that the duty of manufacturers, service providers, advertisers, and advertising agencies is to ensure that their advertisements do not mislead consumers.

Singh added that the industry should focus on the crucial role of striking a fine balance between supporting businesses and protecting consumer interests.

While differentiating between good and bad advertisements, Singh stated that the government's intention is to not obstruct the growth of businesses but rather to ensure ethical standards are met.

“There is a need for influencers and celebrities to disclose any material connections with advertisers that may affect the credibility of their representation,” Singh said.

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