Advertisers' responsibility

Advertisers' responsibility

From Kompas

Many advertisements are indeed misleading. The complaint lodged by Anita O. from Cempaka Baru, Jakarta, about an Audio Plaza ad can be understood. In general, if advertisers have no intention of misleading consumers, whatever is printed in their ads must be fulfilled as a manifestation of manufacturers' responsibility.

In this way, advertisers or producers should not, for instance, blame printers for typographical errors or refer to misquoted dollar exchange rates as an excuse. Ads in finish-art form are not subject to printers' interference. Advertisers are responsible for the contents of ads, which are checked and rechecked before being printed.

Factual mistakes should be avoided because consumers' trust is at stake. The excuse of fluctuation in dollar value is ridiculous while the rupiah value is already advertised.

Sadly, Indonesian consumers remain helpless in the face of advertisers and the court is not yet in favor of consumers. The Indonesian Consumers Institute cannot yet optimally defend buyers either.

BACHTIAR SOEKIJAN Bekasi, West Java