Digital media and influencers in India have new rules to follow. It’s like a coming of age feeling where now ACSI is now suggesting self-regulation of markets and disclosures being important for digital content.

Key points:

• If you are paid in anyways disclose upfront.
• If you haven’t used it, don’t promote it,
• Do your due diligence before claiming it’s two times stronger, better, whatever!
• You can use tags such as #ad #sponsored #promo #collab #partnership

My third book in the Krishna Mishra series The Rani’s Rubies is published ,you can get it here .

The second book What Happened at Gour is Free for download for the enxt five days.If you are wondering why I write fiction too ,you can read about it here and here.

When I was a child I honestly believed all the stars on the shampoo and cream ads were beautiful because they used those products.The beauty queen shampoo ads were especially attractive.

Then after using them since the results didn’t look like that on the television ad, but my own regular hair. My hair was perfectly fine but when I compared it with the glossy shiny swinging waves on ads, it fell short.

It was a long time before I understood the ads were a sham and reading about the ingredients on the label and choosing the right product depends on my awareness.The glitzy film stars couldn’t really be trusted with their recommendations.

The new draft rule recommends filters to be avoided for hair care and skin care products so that the real hair and skin are visible. Not the one with a filter.

Makes sense. I wonder if the television ads follow this rule though. Sometimes there are microscopically small disclaimers and disclosures, in ads saying the person is not a medical professional. But online many content creators give medical, health information and pretend to have authority when they don’t! Finding out the fake from real is tougher online.

In fact, sometime back Pierce Brosnan recommended a paan masala brand containing tobacco and faced backlash. The ad was removed and he released a briefing saying he was misled about the product being a breath freshener, tooth whitener. That was stretching it a bit.

Now social media influencers with good loyal followers have a certain amount of pull. So it’s imperative they follow high standards for product recommendations.

ACSI has also asked the media to not advertise online fantasy gaming as an alternative source of earning. Gaming online or offline when it involves money stops being just for entertaining. When it affects your studies, sleep, and social life it’s an addiction. 

The problem is best when prevented.That the ACSI has decided to ask television channels to stop this kind of misleading ads is telling.

Many digital media Influencers too use their social media account to promote such fantasy gaming and products which are just as controversial.

The disclosure needs to be placed in a prominent position at the beginning of the advertising or sponsored content for text-based content. For audio and video content the disclosure needs to be once at front and once at the end of the content.

It helps to keep transparency to our readers. What I especially like is they want the Influencers to do due diligence for the advertised products.That’s great and I would like the same standards for the celebrities who advertise controversial beauty products, edible products, alternative medicines, and everything in between.

Accountability and transparency for all advertising is a welcome step and much needed. Doing due diligence about a product or service before talking about it is a responsible step to take for the long-term growth of this industry.

Otherwise the lack of trust will rot the fabric of this industry inside out.

The plan of ACSI for disclosures being needed in prominent places is highly welcome. I am blogging since 2014 and have always believed in appropriate tags, disclosure, and disclaimers in prominent places. in all the sponsored content.

Guidelines apply to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, other video platforms, vlogs, Snapchat, and blogs.

1. Instagram: Disclosure label to be included in the title above the photo/beginning of the text that shows. If only the image is seen, the image itself must include the label.

2. Facebook: Include the disclosure label in the title of the entry or post. If only the image/video is
   seen, the image/video itself must include the label eg FB story
3. Twitter: Include the disclosure label or tag at the beginning of the body of the message as a tag
4. Pinterest: Include the disclosure label at the beginning of the message.
5. YouTube and other video platforms: Include the label in the title/description of the post.
6. Vlog: Overlay the disclosure label while talking about the product or service
7. Snapchat: Include the disclosure label in the body of the message in the beginning as a tag.
8. Blog: Include the disclosure label in the title of the post

Log into ASCI’s website and register a complaint.
You can call on 022 23513982 or 022 23521066 or 1-800-22 –2724 (toll-free) as well to lodge your complaint.
You could also send your complaint to +91 77100 12345, which is available on WhatsApp.

When to label?

When you accept payment in cash ,kind.trip or service including barter.

• You will get a commission when someone buys a product or service through the link.
• You have included promo or discount links which when applied you get a commission.
• Treat your audience like how you would like to be treated. With respect and transparency. Responsible digital content means we all win. With influence comes responsibility.

I will look forward to more concrete rules, tools, and ability for certification and other benefits for social media influencers following the rules.A system of accreditation will definitely help.

The final draft will be published on 31st March 2021 and all posts after 2021 will have to follow the rules.