76% of top 100 digital creators violate influencer marketing guidelines

New Delhi: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has revealed that 76% of the country’s top 100 digital influencers failed to meet mandatory disclosure norms, setting what it calls a “poor example” for authenticity and accountability in online advertising.

The findings are part of ASCI’s Half-Yearly Complaints Report (April–September 2025), which exposed a troubling culture of non-compliance among social media creators and their brand partners.

The study, based on Forbes India’s Top 100 Digital Stars 2024, analysed influencer posts across Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube between March 1 and July 15, 2025, and found that the majority either buried disclosure labels, used incorrect ones, or made no disclosure at all.

“Despite these clear guidelines, many influencers continue to disregard their ethical and legal obligations,” ASCI noted in the report.

“Top influencers, backed by major brands and ample resources, remain frequent violators, increasing reputational and regulatory risks for both themselves and the brands they endorse,” noted in the report.

ASCI’s monitoring revealed that out of 1,173 influencer advertisements processed in the six-month period, a staggering 98% required modification, and 59% were promoting products disallowed by law, such as betting, healthcare, or alcohol-related services. More than 75% of these influencer posts pertained to betting and personal care, two of the most violative sectors in the report.

While ASCI has issued detailed guidelines on influencer advertising and disclosure, enforcement remains an uphill battle. Out of the 100 influencer handles evaluated, ten had no promotional content during the review period, and twelve met all disclosure requirements.

The remaining 78 were found to be in violation, with 72 influencers (95%) agreeing to correct their posts after ASCI’s intimation. However, two cases were escalated to the Department of Consumer Affairs for refusing to comply.

Even so, ASCI acknowledged improvement in post-investigation behaviour: voluntary corrections rose from 85% to 95%, and overall compliance after intervention climbed from 93% to 97%.

Still, the watchdog warned that the pattern reflects a worrying mindset: influencers are willing to “take their chances” until they are caught.

“The widespread exposure to betting ads despite the ban, as well as the disappointing standards set by top influencers, are some challenges that have come to the fore in our recent work,” said Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI. “Consumer trust can be fragile in the digital age, and such practices create problems for the industry at large.” ASCI also confirmed that 47 influencer non-disclosure cases were escalated to the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), and other regulators for further action. While 90% of influencers eventually complied after being flagged, ASCI stressed that reactive corrections are not enough. As influencer marketing continues to dominate brand budgets, ASCI’s latest findings are a sharp reminder that the race for engagement cannot come at the cost of transparency.