Author: Akanksha Nagar

Businesses gear up for DPDP Rules with privacy policy updates, appoint Data Officers

The public feedback period on draft DPDPA rules was accepted till March 5, 2025. While businesses continue to strengthen their internal structure to comply with the rules, many industry bodies have pointed out the difficulties in achieving so- especially by the small-scale startup and businesses.

From Meta to Muthoot Fincorp and Fynd, companies across sectors are looking for Data Protection Officers to comply with draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rule, while also strengthening data security measures and building data governance structures.

Who can replace Big B on KBC? Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai top polls

"Amitabh Bachchan should continue till he can” was the response of as much as 42% of the respondents surveyed, as per the IIHB and Rediffusion’s Red Lab report.

As Sony TV considers Amitabh Bachchan’s successor as the host of KBC, research by the Indian Institute of Human Brands and Rediffusion’s Red Lab has shortlisted top contenders, including Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, MS Dhoni, Harsha Bhogle, and Anil Kapoor.

Global smartwatch market witnesses first-ever decline; fell 7% in 2024

Weakness in the basic smartwatch market originated in India, where consumer demand waned due to a slow replacement cycle, lack of innovation, and unsatisfactory user experiences among first-time buyers, according to the Counterpoint report. (Image source: Unsplash)

According to the Counterpoint Research report, the smartwatch market is expected to recover slowly and witness single-digit percentage growth in 2025. Both Android and iOS smartwatches are expected to integrate more AI capabilities and advanced sensors.

Keep tobacco, alcohol ads and their proxies off IPL: Health Ministry tells Cricket Board

The health ministry letter to IPL emphasised the crucial role of sports in promoting public health, noting that tobacco and alcohol are major risk factors for non-communicable diseases.

In a letter to IPL Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal, Director General of Health Services Atul Goel has urged to ban all tobacco and alcohol advertising during matches, related events and on TV broadcasts.

Short-video platforms’ adex to surge by 30%; advertisers split over homegrown apps’ effectiveness

India’s short video platforms generated around $100 million in FY24, contributing ~2% to the digital ad spend.

Homegrown short-video platforms are seeing renewed advertiser interest despite ongoing concerns over monetization, content moderation, and algorithmic shortcomings. While YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels dominate the market, homegrown platforms are banking on hyper-local content to carve out a niche.

NASSCOM opposes DPDPA rules on cross-border data transfer restrictions

NASSCOM opposed the government's plan to restrict cross-border data transfer by SDFs, asserting that the proposal risks causing unintended uncertainty about international data transfers.

Indian non-governmental trade association and advocacy group, NASSCOM, has opposed the government’s plan to restrict cross-border data transfer by significant data fiduciaries, asserting that the move could discourage investment, impact global competitiveness, and increase compliance costs for companies.

IAMAI urges MeitY for 24-month implementation period of DPDPA Rules

The public feedback period on draft DPDPA rules was accepted till March 5, 2025. While businesses continue to strengthen their internal structure to comply with the rules, many industry bodies have pointed out the difficulties in achieving so- especially by the small-scale startup and businesses.

In its recommendations to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has also highlighted that the Act could hinder the startups and MSMEs because of the financial and technical burden.

Ad space per publication in print witnessed mere 1% growth in 2024

Reliance BP Mobility and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra were the top exclusive advertisers in 2024 compared to the last year, according to the TAM Adex report.

In 2024, ad space per publication in the print increased by a percent compared to 2023, according to the TAM AdEx report. Top advertisers included Maruti Suzuki India, Hero Motocorp, and Reliance Retail, among others.

Punit Goenka acquires 0.29% shares of ZEEL through wife, son

In his personal capacity, Punit Goenka, through his wife and son, bought ZEEL’s shares.

Goenka’s wife Shreyasi Goenka bought 13,83,500 securities worth Rs 13.46 crore (0.14% of shareholding), and son Udayan Goenka bought 14,15,450 securities worth around Rs 13.46 crore (0.15% of shareholding).