New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is set to convene with industry stakeholders today to address the ongoing issues surrounding the newly implemented self-declaration certificate (SDC) mandate for advertisements. This meeting comes more than a week after the enforcement of the mandate, which has posed challenges for advertisers in terms of uploading and obtaining the necessary certificates.
The MIB had previously engaged with key representatives from various advertising and media organizations, including the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), and Google, among others. This initial discussion took place in the second week of June, where the ministry made it clear that there would be no amendments to the mandate nor any deferral of its implementation date.
In the upcoming meeting, the ministry aims to gather feedback on the difficulties faced by stakeholders and explore potential solutions to streamline the process. The insights and experiences shared by the industry players will be crucial for the MIB as it prepares to submit an affidavit to the Supreme Court on July 9, 2024. This affidavit will detail the actions taken by the ministry thus far and provide an overview of stakeholder experiences post-implementation.
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The reaction to the SDC mandate has been mixed within the industry. While there is an acknowledgment of the government’s intention to promote transparency and accountability in advertising, concerns have been raised about the practicality and execution of the mandate. Advertisers have expressed frustration over the additional administrative burden and technical challenges involved in complying with the new requirements.
As the ministry prepares for its Supreme Court submission, today’s meeting with stakeholders is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping future adjustments and improvements to the SDC process. The outcome of this meeting could potentially influence the MIB’s stance and strategies moving forward, ensuring that the concerns of advertisers are adequately addressed while upholding the mandate’s original objectives.
