.jpg)
Influencer marketing continues to face regulatory scrutiny, with 14 percent of all advertisements processed by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) in FY 2024–25 for various complaints being linked to violations by influencers. The self-regulatory body’s annual complaints report points to persistent issues around non-disclosure of paid partnerships and promotional content for prohibited products.
ASCI processed 1,015 influencer-related advertisements in the year, out of which 98 percent required some form of modification. A majority of the flagged posts lacked clear disclosure labels, with 56.8 percent carrying no label at all and 43.2 percent placing disclosures within hashtags—making them ineffective, the report said.
Only 29 percent of influencer posts reviewed had proper disclosures, and in some cases, ASCI noted that influencers were promoting products that are not legally allowed to be advertised, such as offshore betting platforms, alcohol, and miracle health remedies. One-third of influencers flagged were found to be involved in such promotions.
The report also indicates that 59 influencers voluntarily corrected their posts after being contacted by ASCI, while five modified posts after the matter was reviewed by the regulator’s Consumer Complaints Council. Another five influencer-related advertisements were escalated to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting for continued non-compliance.
LinkedIn influencer posts were also highlighted for non-compliance. ASCI noted that while the platform introduced a “Brand Partnership” label two years ago, usage remains low and visibility is limited. ASCI said this has led to professionals posting promotional content on LinkedIn without proper disclosure, misleading users into interpreting them as independent views.
Since January 2025, ASCI has investigated 121 LinkedIn influencer posts flagged by users for failing to declare material connections. The regulator issued an advisory to all LinkedIn influencers to adhere to the ASCI Guidelines for Influencers in Digital Media and the Central Consumer Protection Authority’s regulations under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The report underlines that influencer marketing is now a significant part of the digital advertising ecosystem, but disclosure and compliance still lag behind. ASCI said that while 83 percent of influencers have complied with disclosure rules as of May 14, 2025, enforcement remains necessary to improve transparency across digital platforms.
.jpg)
