Ad industry to meet MIB on self-declaration certificates for Ads

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is convening a meeting on June 11th with media and advertising associations to discuss the upcoming requirement for advertisers to submit "self-declaration certificates" (SDCs). These certificates, mandatory for all new ads starting June 18th, will serve as a guarantee by advertisers that their ads comply with regulations and avoid misleading claims.

The meeting, led by MIB Secretary Sanjay Jaju, will see participation from representatives of key industry bodies like the Indian Newspaper Society, Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation, and the Advertising Standards Council of India. Even digital giants like Google and Meta India have been invited. This broad representation reflects the government's aim to address concerns raised by industry bodies, particularly the Indian Society of Advertisers and the Digital News Publishers of India, regarding the practicalities of implementing the SDC system for the high volume of daily advertisements.

The MIB had previously announced on June 3rd that SDCs would become mandatory for all new ads across TV, print, digital, and radio platforms. Without an SDC, advertisements will not be allowed to be broadcast or published.