Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) and the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) on Tuesday joined hands to protect consumer interests by curbing misleading advertisements in the digital age.

The ASCI's code and associated guidelines in the area of advertising are harmonious with several guidelines enforced by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).

The CCPA has recognised that any violation of ASCI's code pertaining to misleading advertisements may potentially contravene the Consumer Protection Act of 2019 and its related guidelines.

Therefore, the CCPA has requested ASCI to forward any advertisement that is non-compliant with the ASCI Code and could potentially violate the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, along with its accompanying guidelines, to CCPA for appropriate action.

Any such case escalated by ASCI concerning misleading advertisements will be promptly addressed and handled in strict accordance with the Consumer Protection Act 2019 by the CCPA, they said in a statement.

“ASCI has deep expertise and specialisation in advertising regulation and we thank CCPA and DoCA for their trust and their collaborative approach. A robust self-regulatory system helps all stakeholders and this partnership is a positive step in taking self-regulation to the next level,” said Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary-General, ASCI.

This collaboration comes amid the growing complexity of the advertising landscape, especially with respect to digital advertising.

"With similar objectives, CCPA and ASCI can work in complementary ways to ensure that any infringements are addressed effectively. New challenges are being created by digital advertising, and keeping pace demands a collaborative approach with like-minded bodies,” said Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary DoCA.

DoCA and ASCI have held joint consultations and collaborations on several issues surrounding advertising such as influencer guidelines, greenwashing, dark patterns and surrogate advertising.

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