(Video) Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) The Big Picture: Regulating Social Media Influencers

Topic: Regulating Social Media Influencers

Guest:

Subhash Kamath, (CEO, Advertising Standards Council of India)
Khushbu Jain, (Advocate, Cyber Laws)
Arijit Ray, (CEO & Founder, The Unlock Company)

Topic Description:

Digital media influencers, Youtubers and celebrities promoting their favorite brands might have to be a bit more cautious going forward as a new draft regulation by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) stipulates that all influencers will have to declare if a product or a service is being covered as part of a promotion. The guidelines say that advertising labels should be clearly visible for video content on all platforms, including mobile phones. For audio content, the disclosure will have to be announced before and after the content. In case of social platforms like Instagram, the guidelines suggest that the disclosure label be superimposed on the image. The content cannot be digitally manipulated to show the product in better light. Influencers will also need to verify whether the claims being made in the advertisement are valid and can be substantiated. The guidelines are similar to the Federal Trade commission guidelines in the United States. The draft proposal is up for public debate till March 8 and is expected to be rolled out by April 15.