Social media governance in India
As digital reach expands and AI-enabled content creation accelerates scale and speed, the risks associated with misinformation, misleading claims and unverified narratives have increased materially for organisations operating in India.
Where reputation meets regulation
A single social media post can influence consumer behaviour, impact market sentiment or trigger regulatory action. Authorities, such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), actively regulate misleading advertising, financial promotions, endorsements and consumer-facing claims across digital and social platforms.
Regulatory oversight has shifted decisively from guidance to action, exposing ungoverned digital and social media content to immediate enforcement risk. In 2025, SEBI identified over 100,000 misleading financial posts on social media, signalling that these platforms are increasingly regulated and must adhere to stringent disclosure and accountability standards. Under SEBI rules and the Consumer Protection Act, misleading claims, selective performance narratives or unverified influencer endorsements can trigger fines up to INR 50 lakh, bans, corrective orders and reputational damage, making strong controls and governance essential for brands and intermediaries.
Brand trust and regulatory compliance hinge on social media. Under such circumstances, the following are the critical standards every brand must follow:
Compliance is NOT optional
Strict penalties and enforcement actions await non-compliance
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Why social media governance matters for brands
By implementing clear social media policies, approval workflows and monitoring mechanisms, organisations can manage information risk, protect brand and market reputation, maintain investor confidence and safeguard revenue, profitability and long-term shareholder value while staying ahead of regulatory expectations. These objectives can be achieved through a well-defined social media governance guide, built around the following core components:
With embedded governance and oversight in digital engagement models, brands will be better positioned to protect trust and adapt to regulatory scrutiny in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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