Healthcare, illegal betting apps top most violative sector in ads, finds ASCI

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) highlighted healthcare, illegal betting apps, personal care, traditional education, and food & beverage as the top five violative categories in its Annual Complaints Report FY24. With over 10,000 complaints against ads in 2023-24, marking a 12.75% increase from the previous year, the healthcare sector accounted for 19% of scrutinized ads, followed by illegal offshore betting (17%) and personal care ads (13%). \r

Notably, baby care emerged as a new contender in the top violators category, with influencer promotions contributing to 81% of babycare cases. Digital ads constituted 85% of processed ads, with a compliance rate of 75%, lower than the 97% compliance rate for print and TV ads. \r

Saugata Gupta, Chairman of ASCI, emphasized the organization's commitment to addressing challenges in digital advertising through technological advancements and collaboration with stakeholders to promote ethical advertising practices. The report also highlighted concerns regarding celebrity endorsements, with 91% of ads featuring celebrities requiring modification due to violations of ASCI code and Consumer Protection Act requirements.