The Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) has written to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to request a postponement of the process until the Supreme Court hears concerns and issues a ruling, given the practical challenges and complexities raised by various stakeholders in the advertising and media industry regarding the implementation of the self-declaration certificate for every advertisement published on digital, radio, broadcast or in print.
The Ministry will provide the highest court with an affidavit detailing the steps done thus far on SDC on July 9. Additionally, it will have the chance to showcase stakeholder responses to the mandated SDC policy and procedure, as well as their opinions.
Advertisers must follow all applicable laws and regulations and engage in truthful advertising; ISA recognised this responsibility in its letter dated May 27, in its representation dated June 10, and in the meeting with MIB on June 11. However, ISA also noted the difficulties that advertisers may encounter with SDC.
Following the June 11 SC judgement requiring all advertisers and advertising agencies to submit SDC before printing or transmitting any advertisement, the MIB brought the meeting of media and advertising sector associations and stakeholders to a close. There were no conclusions at the meeting and those worried about the effects of the SDC mechanism received no comfort.
Following the June 11 SC judgement requiring all advertisers and advertising agencies to submit SDC before printing or transmitting any advertisement, the MIB brought the meeting of media and advertising sector associations and stakeholders to a close. There were no conclusions at the meeting, and those worried about the effects of the SDC mechanism received no comfort.
Representatives from Google, the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation, the Advertising Standards Council of India, the Digital News Publishers of India (DNPA), and senior media executives attended the conference.
In its letter dated June 12, ISA noted that the current upload/ platform provided by MIB to submit SDC is not secure, and it seems people could have access to all the materials you upload. Also, the portal is "laggy" and tends to hang a lot. ISA has raised various doubts as well including what happens if the upload is rejected by MIB, and validity period of the certificate. It also highlighted that the process of filling out, printing and scanning the application each time is cumbersome given the quantum of creatives.
Empathising with the micro and small entities, it also noted that such individuals and entities may not have the capabilities or resources to provide access to files on a private cloud.
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