Why disclosure matters
When a creator has a material connection to a brand, such as payment, free products, discounts, commissions or a personal or employment relationship, followers should be able to tell that the post is promotional. Posts that hide this can attract complaints to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and may fall under India's Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and related endorsement guidelines.
Labels that are generally accepted
Labels should be simple and clear. Vague or shortened tags such as #sp, #spon, #collab or #thanks are not enough on their own.
- #ad or #advertisement
- #sponsored
- #collaboration or #partnership
- The platform's own paid-partnership label
Where the disclosure should go
- Upfront and easy to notice, not buried in a long list of hashtags or hidden behind a "more" link
- In the same language as the post
- For images, visible on the image itself or at the start of the caption
- For videos, in the video itself, and also in the description
- For live streams, visible throughout
Claims and due diligence
Brands are responsible for the claims in their advertising, and creators should check that what they say about a product is true and that they have actually tried it where they say so. Filters or edits that exaggerate a product's result can mislead viewers and should not be used.
Categories that need extra care
Finance, health and wellness, and content aimed at children have additional rules. For example, financial advice may be restricted to people registered with the relevant regulator, and health claims need to be supported. Check the current rules for your category before you brief creators.
How CreatorHai handles disclosure
We include the disclosure requirement in every creator brief, check drafts before they go live, and confirm the label is clear and placed properly. Rules change, so always check the latest ASCI and government guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Do micro and small creators also have to disclose?
Yes. The rules apply to any creator with a material connection to a brand, whatever the audience size.
Is a free product enough to require disclosure?
Yes. Gifted products and discounts count as a connection that followers should know about.
Who is responsible if a post is not disclosed properly?
Both the creator and the brand can be held responsible, so it is best to agree on disclosure in the brief and check it before posting.