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Govt Tightens NCII Rules | India Fuels Ad Giants’ Growth | SoftBank Sells Nvidia Stake, Bets on AI
Storyboard18 brings you top five news updates from the world of advertising, marketing, and business of brands.
The SoP also allows victims to report NCII content directly through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal managed by I4C under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Complaints can be filed online or by dialling 1930.
Storyboard18 presents FAST FIVE ⬇
We bring you top five news updates from the world of advertising, marketing, and business of brands.
Breaking: Govt tightens NCII takedown norms, makes intermediaries directly accountable
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has made public the Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) to Curtail Dissemination of Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery (NCII), following directions from the Madras High Court. The SoP, which was submitted to the Court in October 2025, was prepared in compliance with its July 15 order in Writ Petition No. 25017/2025. The Court had asked the Centre to produce a “prototype” outlining the steps that victims could take when faced with the dissemination of their private or intimate content online.
Adland’s Eastward shift: India powers growth for WPP, Publicis, Havas and Omnicom amid global slowdown
Even as the world’s largest advertising holding companies grapple with declining revenues, client pullbacks, and structural upheaval, India and Southeast Asia are emerging as bright spots: the new growth engines in an otherwise uncertain global landscape.
In the third quarter of 2025, WPP, Publicis Groupe, Havas, and Omnicom reported mixed results, with most seeing slowing growth in their traditional strongholds: the US, UK, Germany, and China, but robust momentum across emerging markets, led by India.
HUL’s entry into Esports opens door for FMCG majors to tap India’s expanding gaming audience
In a move that underscores how India’s esports ecosystem is maturing and diversifying, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) recently made its debut in competitive gaming. The FMCG giant has entered the esports arena through its brand Boost Protein, which sponsored the Chennai Esports Global Championship (CEGC) — India’s first state-backed international esports tournament.
Storyboard18 had first reported about the FMCG major's debut into esports. The event, organized by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) in collaboration with Skyesports. The tournament hosted two major events: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) with a USD 50,000 prize pool and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) with ₹50 lakh up for grabs, bringing together top teams from India, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Offshore betting Ads flood digital platforms despite ban: ASCI flags 4,500+ violations
Despite the government’s ban on betting and real-money gaming promotions, offshore and illegal betting advertisements continue to dominate India’s digital ecosystem, accounting for the highest share of advertising violations in the first half of FY26, according to the Advertising Standards Council of India’s (ASCI) latest Half-Yearly Complaints Report (April–September 2025).
ASCI flagged 4,575 offshore and illegal betting ads—a steep jump driven by proactive surveillance and improved coordination with regulators. These ads were escalated to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), and the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) for legal action.
SoftBank sells entire Nvidia stake for $5.8 billion, accelerates bets on AI
Japanese investment conglomerate SoftBank has reportedly exited its entire stake in US semiconductor major Nvidia for $5.83 billion, according to CNBC. The firm said it sold 32.1 million Nvidia shares in October.
SoftBank was an early backer of Nvidia, having amassed a stake worth nearly $4 billion in 2017, before fully exiting the investment in January 2019.
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