ASCI cracks whip on misleading ads

Hyderabad: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) unveiled its Half-Yearly Complaints Report for 2024-25, spotlighting the prevalence of misleading and illegal advertisements in real estate and offshore betting.

Between April and September 2024, ASCI handled 4,016 complaints and investigated 3,031 ads, with 98 per cent requiring modifications.Real estate ads accounted for 34 per cent of violations, with 1,027 flagged to the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA). Nearly all violated the MahaRERA Act, leading to penalties of Rs 88.9 lakh against 628 developers. ASCI’s partnership with MahaRERA highlights the effectiveness of joint regulatory efforts.

Illegal offshore betting ads formed 29 per cent of cases. ASCI flagged 890 ads, predominantly on Instagram, to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB).