MIB Working on Rules to Regulate Online Ads, Informs Parliamentary Panel

According to credentials, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has recently informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology that it works on rules for regulating online advertisements.

Member of Parliament from Godda, Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey who chairs the committee had requested the ministry to furnish updates about the rule's status.

The committee’s third report on Demands for Grants 2024-25 of MIB issued on December 16, stated, “MIB is in the process of formulating rules for the regulation of online advertisements as per allocation of business. The committee would like to be apprised of the status of formulation of these rules for regulations of online advertisements.”

Ministry takes over ad oversight

The online advertisements have now been transferred under the jurisdiction of the ministry dealing with satellite broadcasting, films, and FM radio under the newly established 'Allocation of Business Rules’, released on 28 July 2023, along with online content and digital news.

Earlier, the ministry had given warnings on advertisement, promotion, and endorsement of activities deemed illegal under various laws. Such activities included surrogate advertising, with particular reference to certain industries such as alcohol, tobacco, and betting, for prevention of any indirect advertisement of prohibited products.

Policy for transparent digital ads

November 2023, the release of the 'Digital Advertisement Policy 2023' by the ministry. The policy enables the Central Bureau of Communication, the Union government's advertising wing, to run digital media campaigns on video streaming, audio streaming, social media, and other mobile and web platforms as well. In fact, this policy demands competitive bidding to find out rates, thus making it transparent.

SC mandates ad disclosures

In May 2024, the Supreme Court ordered the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ensure that from June 18, 2024, all new advertisements will have self-declaration certificates. However, this order was later clarified to imply health and food products and services advertisements only, thus updating the first notice issued by the ministry on June 3.

Advertisers will have to certify that their advertisements in these categories do not have any false claims and follow the regulation guidelines.