Digital
ASCI joins hands with Lexplosion on whitepaper, “Privacy & Progress: Pillars of Digital Bharat”
Mumbai: To understand the implications of Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) in advertising, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) in collaboration with legal firm Lexplosion released a whitepaper, titled “Privacy & Progress: Pillars of Digital Bharat,” at an event in Mumbai. The whitepaper aims to empower stakeholders with actionable knowledge to thrive in the evolving digital landscape.
The event also featured insightful panel discussions with experts aimed at addressing the implications of the DPDPA and its impact on businesses, consumers, and the internet ecosystem at large.
The whitepaper, “Privacy & Progress: Pillars of Digital Bharat” articulates the stupendous growth and opportunities that the internet has provided for business and individual growth across town class and social strata while reflecting on the growing privacy concerns amongst consumers. The whitepaper is based on insights gleaned from diverse perspectives, offering a holistic understanding of the DPDP Act’s implications for advertisers.
Advertising is the fuel that allows for low/no-cost internet access and is an integral part of this ecosystem. The paper delves into the aspects of preparedness of Indian advertisers for the new Act and articulates the challenges and opportunities ahead. It provides stakeholders with guidance on navigating the labyrinth of compliance requirements while fostering a culture of privacy-sensitive innovation. The white paper sheds light on the need for consent which is informed, but also meaningful. To navigate issues such as consent fatigue, and ease of use, and to provide personalised and more meaningful experiences, the white paper suggests that privacy needs to be an integral part of design and advocates for privacy enhancing technologies to be adopted. This would ensure that advertisers not only comply with regulatory mandates but also cultivate trust and credibility among consumers. The paper highlights the need for an approach that balances privacy and progress, both of which are fundamental to a vibrant and sustainable internet economy.
The White Paper also encapsulates insights on this complex issue, gathered from a cross section of businesses across sectors including organisations such as HUL, Google, Dream11, Pepsico, MakeMyTrip, White Rivers Media, Pidilite, UB and Leadsquared.
ASCI CEO & secretary general Manisha Kapoor said, “The DPDP Act is a significant milestone in India’s digital landscape, underlining the critical importance of data protection and consumer rights. For a thriving internet-based economy, advertising is a huge enabler, and we need to provide solutions that respect consumer privacy without creating friction for end users and businesses. All stakeholders need to be in constant dialogue to collaborate on approaches that are native, transparent and fair, even as the internet and its uses rapidly multiply. ASCI is committed to facilitating discussions and providing guidance on advertising-related matters to ensure a fair and vibrant digital future for India.”
Lexplosion founder Indranil Choudhury said “We are delighted to have collaborated with ASCI on bringing this very important and timely whitepaper. We have been working with our clients for the past few months in fine tuning the strategies that go into DPDP compliance. We have shared insights and understanding from our work with various advertisers that can guide the industry in this regard. Such conversations and whitepapers go a long way in building dialogue, supporting compliance, and collaboratively paving a way for the future.”
Digital
Ethical AI must benefit society, not dominate it, says WFEB chief Sanjay Pradhan at IAA event
At Mumbai event, ethics expert urges businesses and governments to shape AI responsibly
MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence may be racing ahead at lightning speed, but its direction must still be guided by human conscience. That was the central message delivered by Sanjay Pradhan, president of the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB), during the latest edition of IAA Conversations held in Mumbai.
The session was organised by the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Artificial Intelligence Association of India (AIAI) in association with The Free Press Journal at the Free Press House on 7 March. Addressing a packed audience, Pradhan called for stronger ethical leadership to ensure AI remains a tool that benefits humanity rather than one that governs it.
“Artificial intelligence has rapidly become one of the most powerful technologies humanity has created,” Pradhan said. “It is unlocking breakthroughs in medicine, science and creativity at a pace unimaginable just a few years ago.”
But he warned that the same technology carries serious risks. AI, he noted, can amplify disinformation faster than facts can travel, compromise privacy, deepen discrimination and disrupt millions of livelihoods. Referencing concerns raised by AI pioneers such as Geoffrey Hinton, often called the godfather of AI, Pradhan stressed that the real challenge is not whether AI will shape the world, but whether humans will shape it with ethics and wisdom.
Structuring his talk around four guiding questions, why, what, how and who, Pradhan introduced the audience to WFEB’s emerging AI Ethics Partnership, a global platform aimed at advancing responsible artificial intelligence. He outlined four priority concerns that demand urgent attention: disinformation, bias and discrimination, data privacy and job security.
To make the idea of ethical AI easier to grasp, Pradhan offered a simple metaphor. Ethical AI, he said, is like a three layered cake. The outer layer represents the visible value ethical AI creates for businesses and society. The middle layer is organisational culture that moves ethics from written codes to everyday practice. The innermost layer, however, is the most crucial, the conscience of individual leaders.
Drawing from Indian philosophical thought through WFEB co-founder Ravi Shankar, Pradhan noted that while artificial intelligence can reproduce stored knowledge, true intelligence is boundless and rooted in conscience, creativity and compassion. Practices such as breathwork and meditation, he suggested, can help leaders develop the calm clarity needed for ethical decision making.
The event also featured a discussion with Maninder Adityaraj Singh, chief of staff and head of innovation at Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Yash Johri, lawyer, Supreme Court of India.
Opening the session, IAA India chapter president Abhishek Karnani, highlighted the need for industries to understand and engage with AI responsibly.
“AI has to be befriended and understood,” added Rediffusion managing director and AIAI national convenor Sandeep Goyal. “Its ethical use will determine whether it becomes a friend or a foe.”
As AI continues to reshape industries and societies, Pradhan ended with a simple but powerful call to action. Businesses, governments and individuals must work together to ensure that the algorithms shaping the future reflect human values rather than just cold logic.
