Description

Copyright infringement not intended

Picture Courtesy: https://www.ascionline.in/

Context:

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) released its “Half-Yearly Complaints Report 2024-25”.

About Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI)

It is registered as a non-profit organization under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956.

It was founded in 1985 as a voluntary self-regulatory organization for the advertising industry to self-regulate advertising practices, to ensure that advertisements follow its Code of Self-Regulation and protect consumers' interests.

It monitors advertisements in all media, including print, television, radio, hoardings, SMS, emailers, internet/websites, product packaging, brochures, promotional materials, and point-of-sale materials.

In 2006, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting mandated that all TV advertisements in India follow to ASCI codes.

Highlights of the Half-Yearly Complaints Report 2024-25

The real estate sector had the most advertising violations, accounting for 34% of the ads examined by ASCI.

In 59% of cases, advertisers responded quickly by modifying their ads to include the missing information or withdrawing them completely.

It reviewed 890 ads promoting illegal betting and forwarded them to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for further action.

It discovered 50 websites and social media pages promoting illegal betting apps and platforms.

The Home Care sector had the most violations related to green claims, with many products falsely claiming to be eco-friendly without proper supporting documentation.

Must Read Articles:

ASCI

FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS (ADVERTISEMENTS & CLAIMS) REGULATIONS 2018

Source:

Financial Express

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements in the context of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI):

1. It works under the Union Ministry of Communications.

2. Advertisements that violate the ASCI code are not permitted on television.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 2 only

C) Both 1 and 2

D) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect:

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is a voluntary self-regulatory organization that manages the Indian advertising industry. ASCI was founded in 1985 and is registered as a non-profit under Section 8 of the Company Act.

Statement 2 is correct:

In 2007, the Government of India amended the Cable TV Network Rules' Advertising Code to prohibit ads that violate the ASCI code from airing on television.