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• Recently the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued guidelines to prevent false or misleading advertisements.
• The guidelines clearly defined advertiser duties.
• The guidelines also tried to discourage the promotion of illogical consumerism targeting children.
• The guidelines aim to bring the Indian regulatory framework to par with international norms and standards.

Details

• The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) under the Department of Consumer Affairs has announced the ‘Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022’.
• The main objective of the guidelines is to regulate advertisements and protect consumers from misleading advertisements.
• The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has stated that misleading advertisements violate several rights of consumers.
  • The CCPA has been established under the Consumer Protection Act, of 2019.
• Misleading advertisement has already been defined under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
  • The current guidelines define “bait advertisement”, and “surrogate advertisement” and provide what comprises “free claim advertisements”.
• The guidelines have been formed by keeping in view the sensitiveness and vulnerability of advertisements in the Children’s minds.

Key points of the Guidelines

• It prohibited advertisements from magnifying the features of a product or service in such a manner that promotes unrealistic expectations.
• Prohibited the advertisements of such products or services that claim any health or nutritional benefits without being scientifically recognized by an authentic body.
• Advertisements targeting children should not show any personalities from the field of sports, music or cinema for products that require a health warning or cannot be purchased by children.
• Disclaimers in advertisements must not hide any information about the products and services.
• Clear Guidelines are laid for manufacturers, service providers, advertisers and advertising agencies.
• It aims to protect consumers’ interests by ensuring more transparency and clarity in published advertisements, so that, consumers could make informed decisions based on facts rather than wrong narratives and exaggerations.
• CCPA can impose a penalty of up to 10 lakh rupees on manufacturers, advertisers and endorsers for any misleading advertisements.
  • It may increase a penalty up to 50 lakh rupees for repetitive violation of the guidelines.
  • It can prohibit the endorser of a misleading advertisement.

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/the-new-rules-to-keep-advertisements-in-check/article65606770.ece

https://t.me/+hJqMV1O0se03Njk9

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