Meta on way to use Sebi's filter to weed out unregulated advisors

Meta has begun the process to weed out unregulated markets advisors from its platforms like Facebook and Instagram by mandating them to display the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) registration number while advertising securities and investment-related advertisements.

 

In March earlier this year, Sebi had directed all intermediaries to register with platform providers such as Google and Meta for publishing advertisements. This was being done to curb investment frauds on social media platforms.

 

The US giant has also been asking advertisers running these advertisements (ads) in India to verify the person or organisation benefiting from and paying for these ads, along with the Sebi registration information.

 

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This will be applicable for global campaigns targeted to Indian users.

 

Verification is expected to be available to 100 per cent of all eligible advertisers globally by July 28, 2025. The compliance will be enforced from July 31, 2025.

 

“Meta will begin rolling out the verification process on June 26. Verification is expected to be available to 100 per cent of all eligible advertisers globally by July 28, 2025,” said the company in a blog.

 

In the verification process, advertisers and payers will need to mention name and Sebi registration number (if applicable). Meta said that this verification information will be displayed publicly on the ads when they are running and for up to seven years in Meta’s Ad Library.

 

 

Intermediaries such as mutual funds, investment advisers, stock brokers, and research analysts will have to register with these social media platform providers (SSPMs) using their email ids and mobile numbers used on the Sebi intermediary portal.

 

Meta also asked for advertisers’ complete verification themselves, as the process may involve providing business documents or receiving a one-time passcode to an email address associated with the client’s web domain.

 

“We also recommend that clients have at least partial access to any accounts that are running ads on their behalf in order to complete verification,” said Meta.

 

All advertisers will have at least one month to complete these requirements from the date they become eligible to verify.