Social media giant Meta has announced that starting August 27, 2024, it will allow ads for alcohol and real-money gambling in India, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Latin America (LATAM).
Advertisers can run their campaigns in India if they abide by the guidelines mentioned:
- 25 years or older in Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, or Punjab.
- 21 years or older in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, or West Bengal.
- 18 years or older in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Mizoram, Puducherry, Rajasthan and Sikkim.
Meta has also clarified that advertising will not be allowed in specific states like Bihar, Gujarat, Lakshadweep, Manipur and Nagaland.
While this move is expected to boost Meta’s ad revenue by a significant margin, it has raised alarm bells and concerns with several stakeholders in the country.
Concerns about the decision to permit such advertising on public platforms like Facebook and Instagram primarily revolve around the potential impact on public health, addiction risks, and the vulnerability of young audiences to such targeted marketing.
While the long-term effects of Meta’s announcement are yet to be seen, it has already provoked debates on how it will affect industry dynamics going ahead that primarily revolve around the question on whether there will be a significant shift towards digital advertising for these brands. While it is likely that it will increase, it remains to be seen whether brands will make digital media their primary medium in the long-term.
Questions have also been raised on how this news till be tackled by India’s government, which has maintained strict policy on alcohol and gambling ads, and whether this will lead to stricter scrutiny from regulatory bodies.
Many have highlighted how this enhances the urgent need for a comprehensive regulatory framework in India, the absence of which has created a risky environment where unethical operators can potentially thrive.
