6,154 complaints against misleading ads in 3 years: Centre

Over 6,000 grievances against misleading advertisements were registered in the past three years by a government portal, the Centre said on Tuesday.

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said that the Department of Consumer Affairs’ online portal called GAMA (Grievance Against Misleading Advertisements) portal accepted 6,154 complaints between 2019 and 2021. There were 948 complaints in 2021, 1,790 in 2020, and 3,416 in 2019.

He was responding to a query raised in the Lok Sabha on action against misleading advertisements on TV channels.

All advertisements telecast on private satellite TV channels are regulated in accordance with the Advertising Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issues advisories from time to time to broadcasters for ensuring compliance to the Advertising Code, Thakur said in a written response.

The Department of Consumer Affairs had launched GAMA portal in 2015 where consumers can lodge complaints relating to misleading advertisements.

The minister said that a Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) was established under Consumer Protection Act, 2019, in July 24, 2020, which inter-alia looks into misleading advertisements either suo-motu or on complaints from the central government. PTI