ASCI says 69% of India’s Top 100 Influencers Fail to Follow Influencer Guidelines

69% of India’s Top 100 Influencers failed to follow influencer advertising guidelines set by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). Incidentally, these influencers were part of the top 100 Digital Stars of 2024 picked by Forbes India as part of its annual exercise. ASCI conducted a dipstick study of brand promotions done by these digital stars in recent months and reached its conclusions in this report, released on February 5, 2025.

The main issue? Many did not correctly disclose their brand partnerships, which is legally required under ASCI’s rules and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) guidelines. This lack of transparency is not just about breaking rules; it affects consumer trust.

What did the ASCI Report Find?

When an influencer promotes a product without stating it’s an advertisement, followers believe it’s a genuine recommendation making it misleading. Between September and November 2024, ASCI studied brand promotional posts on Instagram and YouTube by influencers from Forbes India’s Top 100 Digital Stars 2024 list. These influencers have a combined reach of over 110 million followers, making their content incredibly powerful.

• Only 29 out of 100 posts had the correct disclosure labels.
• 69 posts violated the rules, failing to mention their brand partnerships.
• 56.8% of violations had no disclosure label at all.
• 43.2% had disclosures hidden in hashtags, making them easy to miss.

Who Are the Biggest Rule Breakers of ASCI Guidelines

The worst violators came from industries that heavily depend on influencer marketing:

• Fashion & Lifestyle – 27.5% of violations
• Telecom Products – 21.7%
• Personal Care – 13%

These three categories alone accounted for 62% of all violations.

What Happened to the Rule Breakers?

ASCI took action against the 69 non-compliant influencers,

• 59 influencers (85%) corrected their posts without argument.
• 4 changed their labels after ASCI’s jury recommendation.
• 5 influencers (7%) refused to comply and were reported to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB), which will take legal action.
• One case is still pending compliance.
• Interestingly, two influencers proved posts were NOT brand promotions and were cleared of wrongdoing.

Why Does This Matter?

Manisha Kapoor, CEO & Secretary-General of ASCI, had a strong message for influencers, brands, and agencies:

“Even top influencers are failing at being transparent. This is a serious issue. Brands must choose influencers who follow the law. Influencers must refuse deals that push them to break the rules. This is about trust, responsibility, and ethics. We hope this report is a wake-up call.”

ASCI has been working on influencer advertising since 2021 and handled over 6,000 cases. They recently issued an advisory for LinkedIn influencers, reminding them to follow disclosure rules.

The influencer marketing industry in India

The influencer marketing industry is valued at INR 55 billion in 2024. Brands invest in influencers because their audience engagement is far stronger than traditional ads, but with money comes responsibility.

ASCI introduced influencer guidelines making it mandatory for influencers to use clear labels like #ad, #collaboration, or Instagram’s “Paid Partnership” tag. The CCPA made these disclosures legally required in January 2023.

Despite this, many top influencers violate these rules, and ASCI’s report proves it.

What Needs to Change as per ASCI

For influencer marketing to remain credible and ethical, change is necessary:

• Brands must only work with influencers who follow the law.
• Influencers should push back against brands that ask them to hide disclosures.
• Agencies need to ensure proper compliance before launching campaigns.
• Consumers must stay aware and demand transparency.

ASCI’s study highlights a simple truth: If influencers want trust, they must earn it. The future of digital advertising depends on transparency, honesty, and compliance.

Are We Being Played by Influencers?

As followers, we trust influencers to give us honest opinions. However, when paid promotions are hidden, it raises the question of whether we choose products because they are good or because someone got paid to convince us.

If even India’s biggest influencers are breaking these rules, where does that leave the rest of the industry? It’s time for a serious conversation about honesty in influencer marketing before trust is lost for good.