Patanjali case: Influencers, celebrities liable for endorsing misleading advertisements, says SC
They should refrain from abusing the trust that the public have in them and act responsibly when endorsing any product, the court said.
Social media influencers and celebrities are equally liable if they endorse products or services featured in misleading advertisements, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday, Bar and Bench reported.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah made the observations verbally as part of the proceedings in the contempt case against Patanjali co-founder yoga guru Ramdev and Managing Director Balkrishna for publishing misleading advertisements in violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Objectionable Advertisements Act.
The court cited the guidelines issued in June 2022 by the Central Consumer Protection Authority that requires influencers to be transparent about paid endorsements.
The consumer rights body is a regulatory authority set up under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The Act provides for the protection of the interests of the consumers.
One of the guidelines, mentioned by the court, asks celebrities to take responsibility for advertisements that are meant to appeal to or use children, reported Bar and Bench. Another guideline refers to duties of manufacturers, service providers and advertising agencies to ensure that the trust of the consumer is not abused or exploited due to sheer lack of knowledge or experience.
The court also mentioned guideline 13 that requires celebrities to take due responsibility for endorsing advertisements and have adequate information or experience of the product.
Th bench said that advertisers, advertising agencies...
