Latest news with #CUTS
Mint
23-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Massive rise in betting ads: A call for vigilance
With the growing number of advertisements for illegal offshore betting platforms flooding the digital space, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has had to take serious steps to protect consumers. Recognizing the scale and sophistication of these ads, ASCI instituted advanced digital monitoring systems and deployed specialized vigilance teams to detect and report misleading promotions. What these teams uncovered was alarming. Many of these platforms used artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos featuring fabricated testimonials—people claiming they had made so much money from betting that they no longer needed to work. These ads were not only deceptive but dangerously persuasive. In several cases, up to 60 different URLs directed users to the same illegal betting site—an elaborate strategy to bypass detection and takedown measures. Also read: Here's how to navigate complex TDS rules for ads, software subscriptions & more Even more concerning was how such promotions were embedded in seemingly innocent content. Cooking tutorials, lifestyle tips, and other harmless-looking videos were found to contain hidden links—via tickers, hashtags, or even bio links—leading viewers to betting platforms. Major social media platforms, despite their advanced ad systems, struggled to catch and block these ads. This raises a crucial question: Who is responsible for ensuring such illegal and misleading ads don't reach consumers? While ASCI continues to do its part through proactive monitoring, there is a clear need for stronger platform accountability to detect such violations of the law, and prevent such ads from appearing in consumer feeds. ASCI works closely with government regulators to report such breaches of the law, who then take them down; however addressing this at scale remains a challenge. Digital infrastructure growth and smartphone usage, while being critical economic drivers, have facilitated such potentially harmful targeting of consumers. As has the promotion of betting apps by celebrities and social media influencers. A Digital India Foundation report in March said that just four such platforms accounted for 1.6 billion visits in a mere three months. Organic search traffic to these sites was recorded at 184 million visits. Also read: Brands pile in, ads get shorter: IPL 18 rewrites the rules of cricket-time marketing: Report Another recent report, by the think tank Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) International, warned about the explosive growth of illegal online gambling platforms, of threats to minors, young adults and national financial integrity. Such platforms, the report said, had estimated annual deposits of about $100 billion and the top 15 illegal platforms logged 5.4 billion visits in FY25. The CUTS report further highlighted that these platforms often bypass basic safeguards such as Know Your Customer and age verification, giving minors and young adults unregulated access to gambling content. Some offshore operators even use tactics like cash-on-delivery, making it easier for minors who may lack digital payment access, to gamble. Such is their reach that in March 2025, one such platform outranked even universally popular sites like and as per reports. ASCI's recently released annual complaints report showed a sharp spike in the rise of illegal offshore betting and gambling ads. From 1,311 in 2023-24 to 3,081 in 2024-25, the number of cases reported more than doubled. ASCI enhanced monitoring resources and set up a special monitoring cell, under an MoU it signed with the federations representing Real Money Games, which are legally permitted and regulated in most states in India. Left unchecked, the gambling platforms can lead to addictive behaviour and financial risks. Additionally, they can expose consumers to risks like cyber attacks and unsafe online environments. Such unregulated activity can even threaten national security by acting as channels for money laundering and terror financing. Also read: From skincare to smartphones: Ads by Apple, Mamaearth, L'Oreal under scrutiny Hence, there is a serious risk for consumers and society. As digital infrastructure and access to it grows, such platforms have the potential to target more consumers who are unaware of their illegality and harmful impacts. Regular monitoring and collaborations between industry, self-regulators and the government will be the key to consumer protection in the days to come. In the long term, a comprehensive regulatory framework that addresses some of the challenges of online gambling will need to be established to provide systemic solutions to this large-scale consumer threat. Manisha Kapoor is chief executive officer and secretary general of the Advertising Standards Council of India.
Zawya
09-06-2025
- General
- Zawya
To truly end plastic pollution in Global South, we must look beyond recycling
If one looks around anywhere in the Global South, plastic trash is seen in abundance in public places. 'Ending Plastic Pollution' is the theme for this year's World Environment Day, which falls on June 5, 2025, to address an increasing problem. India, like many nations, has responded to the plastic crisis with bans, recycling targets, and awareness drives. Yet the problem still persists and grows even more complex. Human beings are not concerned with throwing plastic trash in public places. Every week, we at Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) search for plastic trash in the beautiful Central Park in Jaipur city. We are not the only ones, and many other voluntary groups also do the same. Yet the rule breakers continue to dump plastic trash all over. This includes useable PET bottles (Polyethylene terephthalate bottles) along with single-use wrappers. Sometimes, the municipal government does enforce laws and fine violators, but yet the impact is not effective. Why? Because bans and recycling alone are not enough. To truly beat plastic pollution, we need to make a bold shift - from managing waste to eliminating it at the source, from linear use-and-dispose models to circular systems, and from token measures to behavioural change. Recent studies show that India generates nearly 10 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. This isn't just about how much we consume, but how much we mismanage. The volume of mismanaged plastic waste and environmental leakage from India now exceeds that of China and the United States. Barely half of our plastic waste is recycled. The rest clogs landfills, chokes rivers and oceans, and seeps into our food chain as microplastics. Even when recycled, plastic is often downcycled into lower quality materials that quickly becomes waste again. In the end, recycling is just damage control, not a solution. Reduce dependence and encourage reuse: The real remedy lies not in managing plastic better, but in using less of it. India's partial ban on single-use plastics since 2022 was a good step forward, but the enforcement remains uneven, with plastic bags and disposable cutlery still common. What is needed now is a push for product redesign focusing on packaging that is minimal, reusable, or made from alternatives. While recycling recovers value from waste, reuse avoids waste altogether. India has immense untapped potential here. Imagine shampoo in returnable glass bottles or groceries from refill stations. These models have been piloted in some metro cities and some FMCG giants have tested refill packs or deposit-return systems. But for reuse models to work at scale, we need infrastructure, incentives, and standardisation. Reusable systems can also create new green jobs in logistics, cleaning, and maintenance, supporting both environmental and employment goals. Are Alternatives Viable? Bioplastics and compostables attract attention, but not all 'eco' plastics are effective. Many biodegradable plastics degrade only under industrial composting, which India lacks at scale. Worse, they may even contaminate recycling streams. The answer isn't blind replacements, but investing in truly circular, safe materials suited to local needs. Materials from banana fibre, seaweed or the fibrous sugarcane waste are promising innovations. However, their economic viability and accessibility beyond premium markets remain a challenge. From bans to systemic change in policy: India's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Policy 2025 requires producers, importers, and brand owners to collect and process their plastic waste and to include a minimum percentage of recycled content in products and packaging. Yet, implementation remains uncertain as many companies outsource obligations or show low transparency in compliance. We need more than bans. Financial incentives like lower good and services tax (GST) on sustainable products are essential to encourage better choices. Urban and rural bodies must be empowered to build decentralised waste management systems, ensure source segregation, and engage communities in co-creating solutions. A mindset shift is essential: Plastic pollution is not just a material problem but a deeply cultural one. The throwaway culture, normalised by modern consumerism, stands in stark contrast to India's longstanding traditions of frugality and reuse. To end plastic pollution, we must revive these values. Behavioural change campaigns need to be widespread and nuanced, reaching from religious gatherings to school curriculums, from influencers to street theatre. For example, in Ladakh, monks lead awareness drives against plastic waste at pilgrimage sites. In Kerala, fisherfolk are trained to collect plastic waste from the sea. A global problem with local solutions: India plays a key role in global efforts to tackle plastic need to respect each country's unique circumstances and avoid overlaps with existing agreements. Moving forward, India must continue pushing for binding commitments that address the unique challenges and solutions of the Global South. At the local level, our lived experiences, from village sabhas organising plastic-free weeks to urban apartment complexes adopting composting and waste segregation, offer valuable lessons to inform global frameworks. Likewise, international examples such as Rwanda's bans, Chile's reuse laws, and the EU's circular design initiatives provide useful guidance. To truly end plastic pollution, India must go beyond recycling. It must redesign systems, rebuild habits, and reimagine growth not as material abundance, but as ecological harmony. This is not merely an environmental imperative, but a chance to lead the world by showing how ancient wisdom, modern innovation, and collective will can unite to achieve this goal. The writer is the secretary-general of CUTS International, a 40-year-old leading global public policy research and advocacy group. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The Hindu
01-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Illegal gambling platforms pose grave threat to Indian youth: Report
A report by CUTS (Consumer Unity & Trust Society) International has raised alarm over the explosive growth of illegal online gambling platforms in India, warning of serious threats to minors, young adults, and national financial integrity. With estimated annual deposits nearing $100 billion, the report urges immediate regulatory intervention to combat this growing menace. It reveals that from April 2024 to March 2025, the top 15 illegal gambling platforms garnered over 5.4 billion visits through 40 mirror sites. 'These operators are exploiting India's advertisement and payment systems, siphoning off crores while putting Indian consumers at grave risk. The absence of regulatory safeguards has made India a fertile ground for these platforms,' said Pradeep Mehta, the secretary general of CUTS. The report flags how illegal operators target vulnerable youth through immersive, high-stakes experiences, bypassing age and identity verification protocols. According to the report, few platforms use psychological tactics to lure sensation-seeking users, while some offshore players even accept cash-on-delivery payments allowing minors to gamble without digital access or oversight. The report further states that a large chunk of user traffic - over 66% - comes via direct URLs or private channels, suggesting a high degree of brand familiarity and trust. According to the report, illicit payment tactics include misuse of UPI, mule accounts, and sophisticated appsto move funds under the radar. While the Ministry of Finance has initiated investigations into nearly 700 offshore entities and blocked 357 sites, the report says much more needs to be done. CUTS recommends a robust national framework backed by an inter-ministerial task force, collaboration with tech companies, public awareness campaigns, and behavioural research into gambling addiction. It also urges strong measures to monitor and block illegal websites and financial transactions. The report calls India's current approach 'manual and reactive.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
Police have 'important role' in reducing student absences, Tom Horne says
Arizona School Superintendent Tom Horne called for stronger law enforcement responses to student absences, as chronic absenteeism in the state remains far higher than it was pre-pandemic. "Solving this problem requires an all-out effort by parents, school administrators, law enforcement and city attorneys," Horne said during a news conference on March 26. Arizona's chronic absenteeism rate among first through eighth graders, meaning the percentage of students who missed more than 10% of school days, spiked after the onset of COVID-19 but has been declining since the 2021-22 school year. In the 2023-24 school year, about 24% of Arizona's elementary and middle public school students were chronically absent, according to state data. That's down from 32% in the 2021-22 school year and about 28% in the 2022-23 school year. The 2023-24 school year chronic absenteeism rate, however, remains much higher than before COVID-19. In the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years, chronic absenteeism in the state was about 12% and 12.68%, respectively. In response, school districts in Arizona have implemented strategies such as tracking student absence data to enable staff to reach out parents as soon as children miss a certain number of school days, emphasizing the importance of school to parents, making sure kids have advocates at school checking in on them and rewarding students for attendance. Horne said he thought police "have a very important role to play" in addressing the issue. In a news release, he said that 'any certified law enforcement officer' is 'empowered to cite parents' under a state statute that says a parent of a child between 6 and 16 who fails to ensure their child attends school is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, with some exceptions. Horne said he urged city attorneys to 'give high priority' to truancy citations. Unlike chronic absenteeism, which measures all absences, including those that are excused or the result of a suspension, truancy refers to unexcused absences. Children in Arizona can be referred to court if they are habitually truant, meaning they have missed at least five days in a school year. During the news conference, Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan said he saw police citations as a 'last-ditch effort to get the attention of the kids and of the parents.' 'These are the cases that linger on — the kids don't respond to counseling, to guidance, to their parents,' Sheridan said. The Maricopa County Superior Court's juvenile probation department operates a truancy diversion program for first and second truancy offenses called Court Unified Truancy Suppression. Students referred to the program by police are given consequences like community service, education and counseling, and they risk having their driver's license suspended if they fail to complete a consequence or appear at a hearing. There have been relatively few truancy citations through the CUTS program in recent years. During the 2019 fiscal year, there were 259 citations, which decreased to 92 in fiscal year 2020, 30 in fiscal year 2021, 49 in fiscal year 2022 and 58 in fiscal year 2023. Those numbers, however, only include referrals to juvenile court in which truancy was the most serious offense, so they may not include truancy citations that were a lesser offense on a referral, or truancy matters that were handled by a lower court or alternative resolution. Janice Palmer, the senior vice president of government affairs at the Helios Education Foundation, which in January released a report on chronic absenteeism in the state, said in a statement that the organization was "encouraged that Superintendent Horne recognizes the severity of this issue and is bringing attention to it." "Our research shows that the most effective way to improve student attendance is by building strong relationships with families and identifying and addressing the barriers that prevent students from attending school," Palmer said. Legal intervention for truancy was listed as a "last resort" for students missing 20% of the school year under chronic absenteeism guidance created last year by a statewide task force led by Read On Arizona, an organization focused on improving literacy. Horne also recommended that school districts not allow high school students to receive credit for a course after they have accumulated nine absences. Exceeding the number of absences under such a policy could prevent high school students from completing the credits necessary for graduation, or K-8 students from moving up a grade level. Arizona schools already formally withdraw students who have ten consecutive unexcused absences. Horne said his suggestion would go beyond 'soft solutions,' such as simply notifying parents of their children's absences, and instead, 'would deal more with the motivation of parents because parents are the ones who have the most influence" on students. "Parents want their kids to graduate on time; they don't want them to flunk courses," Horne said. "This would be a great motivator for parents." This lost credit policy is currently in place in the West Valley's Dysart Unified School District. At the news conference, Superintendent John Croteau and Assistant Superintendent for Support Services Craig Mussi said several new practices have helped increase the district's average attendance rate to 93%. Dysart's lost credit policy impacts students whether or not an absence is excused. Mussi said both can lead to students falling behind. 'So once you hit that tenth absence, you're going to lose credit,' said Mussi. The district does offer a process to appeal lost credit, but stricter rules against absenteeism, he said, are 'the only way we're going to get the attention of the families.' Dysart Unified has continued to notify parents about student absences through phone calls, letters and the ParentSquare mobile app, where parents can keep track of attendance. School officials also formulate plans with parents to get children into school and inform parents of the effects of missing classes, Mussi said. The district also incentivizes students to maintain high attendance rates through competitions within the district, with some schools even hosting an Attendance Competition Spirit Week to encourage participation. Mussi said the district has a close relationship with the Surprise and El Mirage police departments, which help issue citations to parents who fail to send their kids to school. Coverage of education solutions on and in The Arizona Republic is partially supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation's Arizona Community Collaborative Fund. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police have 'important role' in reducing absences, Tom Horne says
