CONSUMER PROTECTION IN THE ERA OF INFLUENCER MARKETING: LEGAL CHALLENGES AND REGULATORY RESPONSES TO SPONSORED CONTENT IN INDIA
AUTHOR – MEHEK FULARA, STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF LAW, CHRIST (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY)
BEST CITATION – MEHEK FULARA, CONSUMER PROTECTION IN THE ERA OF INFLUENCER MARKETING: LEGAL CHALLENGES AND REGULATORY RESPONSES TO SPONSORED CONTENT IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (2) OF 2026, PG. 965-976, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.
ABSTRACT
Through the marriage of personal expression and commercial persuasion, sponsored content and influencer marketing have redefined online advertising. Whilst this strategy enables businesses to communicate with consumers in a more genuine manner, it also increases the potential for deception, especially where endorsements are poorly disclosed. False advertising in India is governed by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (“CPA 2019”), which also gives the Central Consumer Protection Authority (“CCPA”) the authority to govern endorsements and sanction advertisers and promoters.1 The Advertising Standards Council of India (“ASCI”) passed Guidelines for Influencer Advertising in Digital Media (2021) to supplement this regime, making the employment of standardized labels obligatory in disclosures of material relationships.2 The enforcement of the same proves difficult, given the global and trans-border nature of influencer enterprise. The imperative for increased legal specificity and responsibility can be observed in decisions like *PepsiCo India Holdings (P) Ltd. v. Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages (P) Ltd.*3 and comparative regulatory patterns, e.g., Federal Trade Commission Endorsement Guides4 and United Kingdom Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rulings. To accomplish this study, open disclosures in maintaining consumer autonomy and trust in the age of sponsored content require reconciling industry self-regulation with regulation.
Keywords: Influencer Marketing, Sponsored Content, Consumer Protection Act, 2019, Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Guidelines, Misleading Advertising, Disclosure Norms, Cross-Border Digital Advertising