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