ASCI joins hands with Lexplosion on whitepaper, “Privacy & Progress: Pillars of Digital Bharat”
Advocates for an approach that balances privacy concerns in a thriving internet economy
Chennai: To understand the implications of Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) in advertising, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) in collaboration with legal firm Lexplosion released a whitepaper, titled “Privacy & Progress: Pillars of Digital Bharat,” at an event in Mumbai. The whitepaper aims to empower stakeholders with actionable knowledge to thrive in the evolving digital landscape.
The event also featured insightful panel discussions with experts aimed at addressing the implications of the DPDPA and its impact on businesses, consumers, and the internet ecosystem at large.
The whitepaper, “Privacy & Progress: Pillars of Digital Bharat” articulates the stupendous growth and opportunities that the internet has provided for business and individual growth across town class and social strata while reflecting on the growing privacy concerns amongst consumers. The whitepaper is based on insights gleaned from diverse perspectives, offering a holistic understanding of the DPDP Act’s implications for advertisers.
Advertising is the fuel that allows for low/no-cost internet access and is an integral part of this ecosystem. The paper delves into the aspects of preparedness of Indian advertisers for the new Act and articulates the challenges and opportunities ahead. It provides stakeholders with guidance on navigating the labyrinth of compliance requirements while fostering a culture of privacy-sensitive innovation. The white paper sheds light on the need for consent which is informed, but also meaningful. To navigate issues such as consent fatigue, and ease of use, and to provide personalised and more meaningful experiences, the white paper suggests that privacy needs to be an integral part of design and advocates for privacy-enhancing technologies to be adopted. This would ensure that advertisers not only comply with regulatory mandates but also cultivate trust and credibility among consumers. The paper highlights the need for an approach that balances privacy and progress, both of which are fundamental to a vibrant and sustainable internet economy.
The White Paper also encapsulates insights on this complex issue, gathered from a cross-section of businesses across sectors including organizations such as HUL, Google, Dream11, Pepsico, MakeMyTrip, White Rivers Media, Pidilite, UB and Leadsquared.
Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General, ASCI, said, “The DPDP Act is a significant milestone in India’s digital landscape, underlining the critical importance of data protection and consumer rights. For a thriving internet-based economy, advertising is a huge enabler, and we need to provide solutions that respect consumer privacy without creating friction for end users and businesses. All stakeholders need to be in constant dialogue to collaborate on approaches that are native, transparent and fair, even as the internet and its uses rapidly multiply. ASCI is committed to facilitating discussions and providing guidance on advertising-related matters to ensure a fair and vibrant digital future for India.”
Indranil Choudhury, Founder, Lexplosion said “We are delighted to have collaborated with ASCI on bringing this very important and timely whitepaper. We have been working with our clients for the past few months in fine tuning the strategies that go into DPDP compliance. We have shared insights and understanding from our work with various advertisers that can guide the industry in this regard. Such conversations and whitepapers go a long way in building dialogue, supporting compliance, and collaboratively paving a way for the future.”
READ THE FULL REPORT HERE
About the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI)
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), established in 1985, is committed to the cause of self-regulation in advertising, ensuring the protection of consumer interests. ASCI seeks to ensure that advertisements conform to its Code for Self-Regulation, which requires advertisements to be legal, decent, honest, and truthful and not hazardous or harmful while observing fairness in competition. ASCI looks into complaints across ALL MEDIA such as Print, TV, Radio, hoardings, SMS, Emailers, Internet/website, product packaging, brochures, promotional material point of sale material etc. ASCI has collaboratively worked with various Government bodies including The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Ministry of AYUSH as well as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
In August 2023, the ASCI Academy, a flagship program of ASCI was launched to build the capacity of all stakeholders in creating responsible and progressive advertising. ASCI Academy aims to raise standards of advertising content through training, education, outreach, and research on the preventive aspects of advertising self-regulation.
About Lexplosion Solutions
Lexplosion Solutions is a leading LegalTech company providing legal risk management solutions in areas of compliance, audits, contract lifecycle, litigation and corporate governance. Headquartered in Kolkata, India, Lexplosion’s vision and goal is to make the law more accessible and inclusive to businesses of all nature, scale and size. Keeping in mind the growing need for simple, yet effective solutions for the various legal processes and portfolios, Lexplosion merges disruptive technology with legal domain expertise to create solutions that
