SEBI Common Advertisement Code – Reflection 3 | Who Owns a Virtual Celebrity?
Published: 10 July 2026 By Nayakanti Prashant 3rd Gen Banker & Citizen Lobbyist – Bengaluru ──────────────────────────────── Can a virtual character become a celebrity? SEBI says yes. The next question is: Who owns that virtual celebrity? The Print Media has an expiry date, The Digital Media doesn’t have an expiry date A few days ago, while reading SEBI's Consultation Paper on the proposed Common Advertisement Code (CAC), one provision immediately stood out. Under Clause 7(2)(vii), SEBI proposes to recognise virtual characters—fictional computer-generated people or avatars with realistic human characteristics and the ability to influence their audience—as celebrities. It is perhaps one of the most forward-looking provisions in the entire consultation paper because it recognises that influence in the digital era is no longer limited to human beings. Recognition is an important first step. Ownership may be the next conversation. ───────────────────...