Most advertising violations today occur on digital and social media, especially influencer content
ASCI is evolving beyond regulation by adding research, training, thought leadership and consumer awareness initiatives
Consumers can report misleading ads to ASCI online or on social media, helping strengthen accountability in the advertising ecosystem
In an interview with Outlook Business, Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), speaks about transforming the self-regulatory body into a more future-focused organisation.
She highlights how the rapid shift to digital and influencer-driven advertising has made monitoring misleading claims more complex, with digital media now accounting for the vast majority of violations.
2 March 2026
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Kapoor also discusses ASCI’s role in tackling deceptive ads, collaborating with regulators, and promoting consumer awareness through initiatives such as influencer-led campaigns.
Edited Excerpts:
Could you please tell about your journey to becoming the CEO of ASCI?
I’ve been a brand and marketing strategist for most of my career, working with large FMCGs in the first decade of my career. Thereafter, I consulted several organizations across diverse sectors around their marketing and brand strategies. I had the opportunity to be a part of ASCI’s jury, the Consumer Complaints Council, and that built my familiarity with ASCI. In 2020, in the midst of Covid, I was offered the opportunity to lead the organization.
Since then, the journey has been extremely interesting and I have led the transformation of a strong legacy organization into an agile, future facing one. Several new work streams such as research, training, thought leadership, and advisory services have been added, making sure we stay up to date and provide the right guidance to the advertising ecosystem.
What are the challenges these days when it comes to tackling consumer-related problems in the advertising world? How has everything changed in the last decade?
Over the last decade, addressing consumer-related concerns in advertising has become more complex due to the rapid shift to digital and social media. According to ASCI, digital media now accounts for 98% of advertising violations, highlighting how online platforms dominate compliance issues. Unlike traditional media, digital advertising is high-volume and influencer-driven, often blurring the line between editorial and paid content. Complaints surface instantly, and many influencer posts require modification due to non-disclosure or misleading claims.
In addition to clear cases of misrepresentation, newer challenges such as dark patterns and greenwashing through vague or unsubstantiated sustainability claims have added complexity. At the same time, digitally native consumers are more aware and vocal, often tagging regulators directly on social platforms. While scrutiny has increased, improved voluntary compliance and higher influencer adherence rates reflect growing accountability within the digital ecosystem.
Unethical practices in traditional media advertisements can be spotted easily. But how do you take steps against unethical social media advertisements?
ASCI addresses unethical digital advertisements through proactive monitoring and consumer complaints. With digital media accounting for the vast majority of violations, ASCI closely tracks influencer content and misleading claims. Non-compliant ads are reviewed by its Consumer Complaints Council, and advertisers or influencers are required to modify or withdraw them.
It is so easy for companies to deliver degraded quality food than what they promise. How can India make its implementation stronger to punish the companies that do so?
ASCI primarily addresses misleading or exaggerated claims made in advertisements, including claims related to freshness, quality, or safety. Where such claims are found to be dubious, ASCI requires advertisers to modify or withdraw them.
Product quality and food safety are regulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and fall beyond ASCI’s remit. However in various sectors, ASCI has worked in coordination with statutory regulators to ensure that misleading representations are acted upon swiftly.
What measures can be taken by consumers to report such cases to the authorities? How can they become well-informed?
Consumers can file complaints about misleading advertisements directly with ASCI through its online complaints portal via its website. Consumers can also report misleading digital ads by tagging ASCI on social media platforms.
By staying informed through regulator advisories, checking for proper disclosures in influencer promotions, and scrutinising exaggerated claims can help consumers make better decisions and strengthen accountability across the ecosystem. Consumers may also lodge complaints with various statutory authorities depending on the sector and nature of complaints.
I remember "Jaago Grahak Jaago" ads. However, now such ads are somewhat missing. What steps have ASCI taken to influence and aware people of their rights, recently?
ASCI has recently launched a nationwide influencer-led consumer awareness campaign aimed at educating the public about emerging advertising risks in the digital ecosystem particularly greenwashing and dark patterns.
Through this initiative, ASCI is collaborating with digital creators across categories to simplify complex regulatory concepts and help consumers identify misleading environmental claims, hidden costs, disguised ads, subscription traps, and manipulative interface designs.
The campaign is part of ASCI’s broader commitment to strengthening digital advertising literacy and empowering consumers to make informed choices in an increasingly algorithm-driven marketplace. ASCI has also launched AdWise, a school education program to improve advertising literacy amongst young children. We aim to train one million kids through this exercise.
