The new goverment guidelines need health influencers to display their qualifications

As per the new guidelines, it is mandatory for wellness and health influencers to disclose their qualification in an obvious manner for their audience to read.

In one of the new additions in regards to the creator community, the department of Consumer Affairs released guidelines that suggest health influencers to display their qualifications with the department as well as their audience. The new move suggests the need for the government to have a proper channel for health, especially with the growing influence of them on consumers' health choices.

Health and wellness influencers are required to submit their qualification as per the guidelines that will add value when promoting health and wellness products and services. These guidelines laid by the government along will also help them build credibility when sharing their advice on health issues. Considering the impact that they have on the consumers, the government said the move was necessary. With reports of people being duped with endorsements done by creators, who may not be qualified to talk about a product or service adds to the reasons on why the regulations are important.

Apart from showing why they qualify as a health advisor that every consumer can read, they also need to mention the benefits that they would be receiving in return of endorsing the product or service, money or material.

Rohit Kumar Singh, secretary to the Indian government’s department of Consumer Affairs said, “If you are saying this food is good or bad, that this medicine is good, you must be qualified and disclose that you are qualified to say that. Otherwise, it can be majorly misleading.” He added how it is directly related to people’s health. “First you try to educate them. These are mostly young people and it is a question of revenues for them. We do not want to interfere with the model. What we are wary of is the consumer being taken for a ride,” as reported in the Business Standard.

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