In recent years. or “finfluencers” on social: (formerly Twitter). These individuals. often with + avestm offer stock market tips, mutual fund suggestions, crypto inves more to millions of followers. ‘ sem. A rece However, this unregulated space has now become a serious comer oe me example involved 2 well-known finfluencer promoting @ new ly ips ib spike a “hidden gem.” Thousands of people invested in it. causing its Pr fl encer artificially “A few weeks later, the stock crashed, revealing that the fin ee had received undisclosed compensation from the company’s promoters 10 Promotional content — effectively making it a “pump and dump” scheme. This led to public uproar. loss of hard-eammed money by common people. and an erosion of trust in online financial content. The Securities and Exchange Board | of India (SEBI) initiated an investigation but faced challenges due to loopholes in current digital regulation frameworks. Meanwhile, several other finfluencers continue similar activities unchecked... You are an officer in the Ministry of Finance. asked to look into this growing menace and propose policy and ethical safeguards (a) Identify and evaluate the key ethical issues involved in this case. (b) What steps would you suggest to ensure that financial influencers act with accountability and integrity? How would you balance the need for regulation with the right to freedom of expression? (c) What role can digital platforms and social media companies play in promoting ethical content?

Topper: Akash Kumar · AIR 101 · 2025 · Page 46