Digital platforms accounted for 97.3 per cent of all ads scrutinised
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Consumer safety risk in advertising is now growing beyond misinformation amidst promotion of categories that are restricted by law. According to the Annual Complaints Report for FY26 released by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), ads promoting harmful products or situations accounted for 75.4 per cent of the overall cases, followed by misleading claims at 27.5 per cent.Despite regulatory intervention, offshore betting emerged as the most violative sector, accounting for 6,933 cases. It was followed by realty (643 cases), personal care (576 cases), food and beverages (331 cases) and products violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act (274 cases), the report noted The self-regulatory body reviewed 11,581 cases, which represented a 21 per cent increase year-on-year. These cases pertained to 9,841 ads, a 37 per cent increase in FY2025-26, “98 per cent of the ads scrutinised required some modification. Notably, 93 per cent of these cases came from ASCI’s proactive monitoring,” it added. Digital platforms accounted for 97.3 per cent of all ads scrutinised, with 82 per cent of these being sponsored content on social media platforms. Meta platforms accounted for 79.84 per cent of digital violationsThe self-regulatory body said this underscores the speed and reach at which digital ecosystems are being misused to amplify misleading and harmful advertising. “This is particularly true of the offshore betting ecosystem, which is marked by high-speed content churn, rapid ad creation and cross-platform distribution. These advertisements are spread widely through influencers, affiliate networks, social media groups and messaging platforms, further complicating identification and monitoring. Between April and December 2025, 854 influencer violations were identified, including accounts entirely dedicated to offshore betting content,” it added. Sudhanshu Vats, Chairman, ASCI, said: “Across categories, we are seeing a growing tendency toward exaggerated claims, manufactured scientific credibility, influencer-led amplification and the normalisation of non-compliance as a post-publication correction exercise. The report’s findings underline the urgent need for stronger accountability, better substantiation standards, responsible influencer practices and preventive approaches to governance in digital advertising.”In terms of influencer marketing, out of the 1,609 influencer ads processed during the last financial year, 97 per cent required modification, with over 54 per cent promoting categories prohibited by law or where advertising is restricted.“In the beauty and personal care, and food and beverage categories, widespread use of exaggerated claims, unsubstantiated health benefits and pseudo-scientific assertions were observed,” it noted. In food and beverages, the violations centred around misleading or unsubstantiated claims around metabolic health, chronic disease, child development, fertility and organ function for products such as weight-loss supplements, growth formulas and even “drinkable sunscreens”.Nutraceuticals formed the largest subcategory in food and beverage cases, contributing to 52 per cent of the cases, with 96 per cent requiring modification. Overall voluntary compliance increased from 83 per cent to 86 per cent, with TV and print demonstrating near-perfect adherence at 97 per cent. Of the reviewed ads, 61 per cent were not contested, with advertisers promptly withdrawing or modifying them upon notification, the report addedManisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General, ASCI, said: “In the digital era, ASCI has constantly pushed the boundaries on consumer protection. Our proactive monitoring system has allowed us to act at a scale and speed that complaint-driven models cannot match. Working closely with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has shown how effective stakeholders acting in concert can be when it comes to meaningful consumer protection. Similarly, the partnership with the Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority to monitor and curb misleading real estate promotions is helping to reinforce consumer trust in such advertising.”Published on May 28, 2026
