Creator Advertising Rules in India: What Creators Should Know Before Promoting Brands
The rules behind creator promotions in India beyond disclosure: the Consumer Protection Act and CCPA endorsement guidelines, ASCI's code and influencer guidelines, genuine-use and due diligence expectations, health and finance claims, SEBI's finfluencer restrictions, prohibited categories such as online money games and surrogate ads, and a pre-promotion checklist.
Disclosure is the rule most creators know: label paid content clearly. But the rules behind creator promotions in India go further. They also cover whether the claims you make are true, whether you've used the product, whether you're qualified to make technical claims, and whether the category can be advertised at all. Getting these wrong can bring penalties, takedowns and lost brand trust.
This is general information about Indian rules as reviewed in September 2026, not legal advice. Rules and enforcement change; check the current guidance and take legal advice for specific campaigns. How to label sponsored content is covered separately in the creator disclosure guide.
Quick answer
Before promoting a brand in India, a creator should: disclose the material connection clearly; only make claims the brand can substantiate; genuinely use or have adequate experience with the product; do reasonable due diligence on the claims; hold and disclose relevant qualifications before making technical health or financial claims; avoid giving securities advice or return claims without SEBI registration; and refuse prohibited promotions such as online money games and surrogate advertising for banned products. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 lets the Central Consumer Protection Authority penalise endorsers of misleading ads, and ASCI's code and influencer guidelines set industry expectations.
The main rule sources
| Source | What it covers for creators |
|---|---|
| Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and CCPA | Misleading advertisements; penalties and endorsement bans for endorsers |
| CCPA Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements, 2022 | Valid ads, genuine endorsements, surrogate ads, disclaimers |
| Department of Consumer Affairs endorsement guidance (2023) | Disclosure expectations for celebrities and social media influencers |
| ASCI Code and influencer guidelines | Industry self-regulation: honest claims, disclosure, health and finance influencer qualifications |
| SEBI regulations and circulars | Restrictions on regulated entities associating with unregistered finfluencers |
| Sector laws and advisories | Prohibited or restricted products (online money games, tobacco, surrogate ads and others) |
Misleading ads and endorser liability
Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) can act against false or misleading advertisements, including against endorsers. The Act provides for penalties on endorsers and allows the CCPA to prohibit an endorser from endorsing any product for up to one year, and up to three years for repeat violations. An endorser who exercised due diligence to verify the claims has a defence. The CCPA's 2022 guidelines add that endorsements must reflect the endorser's genuine, reasonably current opinion, based on adequate information about or experience with the product.
In practice: use the product, ask the brand for evidence behind claims such as "clinically proven" or "best in India", don't add your own exaggerated claims, and keep the evidence in your campaign records. The government's endorsement guidance for influencers also covers disclosure expectations.
ASCI's code and influencer guidelines
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is the industry's self-regulatory body. Its code expects advertising to be honest, not misleading and not harmful, and its influencer guidelines set out how to disclose and what influencers need for certain claims. ASCI can ask for content to be changed or removed, and platforms and brands take its decisions seriously. Read the current guidelines on ASCI's site.
Health and finance claims need qualifications
ASCI's influencer guidelines require influencers who comment on technical aspects of health, nutrition or financial products to hold relevant qualifications and disclose them prominently. For health, that can mean medical or allied health qualifications suited to the claim; for finance, relevant registrations or credentials. General experiences ("I've enjoyed using this app") are different from technical claims ("this supplement boosts immunity" or "this fund will beat inflation"). If you're not qualified, stick to your genuine experience and avoid technical claims.
Finfluencers and SEBI
SEBI amended its regulations in August 2024 and issued a circular in October 2024 restricting SEBI-regulated entities, such as brokers and fund houses, from associating directly or indirectly with persons who give securities advice or recommendations, or make claims of returns, without SEBI registration. Pure investor education without advice, recommendations or return claims is treated differently, and SEBI issued further clarifications in January 2025. For finance creators, this affects which brand deals are possible: regulated entities may decline or end partnerships with unregistered creators who give advice or return claims.
Prohibited and restricted categories
| Category | Status for creators (general) |
|---|---|
| Online money games | Promotion prohibited under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 |
| Betting, gambling and other unlawful activities | The CCPA has advised against advertising, promoting or endorsing activities prohibited by law |
| Surrogate advertising for products that can't be advertised directly | Prohibited under the CCPA's 2022 guidelines |
| Tobacco and alcohol | Heavily restricted; avoid, including surrogate products |
| Prescription drugs, cures and 'magic remedies' | Restricted by health laws; avoid treatment claims |
| Crypto and investment products | Handle with extra care; see finfluencer rules above and take advice |
The online gaming law is summarised in the government's announcement of the Act, and the CCPA's advisory on unlawful activities is published by PIB.
Children, AI and comparative claims
- Content aimed at children needs extra care: no pressure tactics, no unsafe behaviour, clear disclosure children can understand.
- AI-generated or altered content may need labelling under platform rules and Indian guidance; see AI disclosure for creators.
- Comparative claims ("better than X") need evidence and must be fair to the competitor.
- Before-and-after results must be genuine and typical, not edited to exaggerate.
AI rules: AI disclosure for creators.
Pre-promotion checklist
- Is the category legal to promote, including surrogate products?
- Have I used the product or do I have adequate experience with it?
- Can the brand substantiate every claim in the script? Do I have the evidence in writing?
- Am I making technical health or financial claims? If so, am I qualified, and is that disclosed?
- For finance: does anything amount to advice, recommendations or return claims?
- Is the disclosure clear, upfront and in the platform's paid partnership tool where available?
- Does the content avoid misleading edits, filters or before-and-after exaggeration?
- Does the contract say who is responsible for claim accuracy and compliance?
Wider vetting of sponsors, including category risk levels and contract protections, is in creator brand safety.
Common mistakes
- Assuming disclosure alone makes any claim acceptable.
- Reading out brand claims without asking for evidence.
- Making technical health or finance claims without qualifications.
- Accepting surrogate or prohibited category deals.
- Promoting products you haven't used.
Conclusion
Advertising rules protect your audience and your career. Disclose clearly, check claims, use what you promote, stay within your qualifications, and say no to prohibited categories. When a campaign is high-value or in a regulated category, get legal advice before you post.