Is India Entering a New Era of Influencer Regulation?

India’s creator economy is projected to reach $3.9 billion by 2030, and regulators are beginning to formalise how influencers operate, making compliance no longer optional.

Ad disclosures are now mandatory:
The Advertising Standards Council of India requires influencers to clearly disclose brand partnerships across posts, reels, livestreams, and audio content.

Finance creators face stricter oversight:
Securities and Exchange Board of India has barred unregistered finfluencers from partnering with regulated entities or sharing market insights.

Compliance gaps remain:
Despite these rules, 69% of India’s top influencers were found non-compliant with disclosure guidelines in 2024.

More scrutiny across sectors:
Crypto promotions, audience data practices, and AI-generated content are now being monitored under evolving frameworks like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and updated IT Rules.

A fragmented but evolving system:
Regulation today spans multiple bodies like ASCI, SEBI, CCPA, and IT Rules, signalling a more structured, but still evolving, influencer ecosystem.