Ethical Giving & Responsible Storytelling
With the vision of making online giving the most trusted way of helping someone in need, here's how we ensure that we do it ethically and responsibly.
Our Commitment to Ethical Fundraising
In 2014, we witnessed a quiet shift in how people turned to their communities for help. As crowdfunding has grown, so too have the ethical questions around how we tell these stories. As a platform we are committed towards the following
Dignified Storytelling
Uphold the dignity of the individuals and families whose stories are shared
Voluntary Giving
Avoid inducing guilt or shame in donors—the choice to give must always remain voluntary and respected
Transparent Communication
Ensure donors are provided with clear, complete, and respectful information to make informed decisions
Milaap's Code of Practice
Our comprehensive guidelines ensuring transparency, safety, and trust for all users
Our Commitment to Ethical Representation: In Adherence to ASCI Guidelines
Table of Contents
- Respect for Donor Autonomy
- Respect for Beneficiary Dignity & Privacy
- Transparency in Fund Utilization
- Explicit Consent for Image/Video Usage
- Use of Graphic Content – Conditional & Minimal
- Clarity on Platform Fees or Fundraising Costs
- No Commercial Promos Misrepresented as Charity
- Handling Donor Feedback & Complaints
Our Commitment to Ethical Representation: In Adherence to NCPCR Guidelines
About NCPCR
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is a statutory body under the CPCR Act, 2005, mandated to monitor and ensure protection of child rights in India. It also oversees the implementation of POCSO Act, 2012; JJ Act, 2015 and RTE Act, 2009.
NCPCR Guideline
The Commission observes that using pictures or videos showcasing vulnerable children in deplorable conditions for fundraising violates child rights and the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. It recommends refraining from such practices.
Milaap's Practice
- Respectful Visual Representation: Images/videos of minors always blur eyes and never disclose names. Campaigns undergo strict review.
- Informed Consent and Caregiver Involvement: Consent is recorded in English and native language. Parents are briefed on content usage across platforms.
- Sensitive Storytelling: We avoid portraying children in pitiable conditions or using guilt-inducing narratives. Children never narrate their suffering.
- Platform Moderation and Escalation Protocols: Content is monitored by trained teams to ensure alignment with child rights, and violations are escalated as per protocol.
Milaap's Code of Practice
Our comprehensive guidelines ensuring transparency, safety, and trust for all users
Our Commitment to Ethical Representation: In Adherence to ASCII Guidelines
ASCI Guidelines
An advertisement for a charitable organization or crowdsourcing platform for charity shall not - suggest that anyone who doesn't support the charity fails in their responsibility or is made to feel guilty or ashamed
Milaap's Practice:
- We never associate non-donation with guilt or moral failure.
- Ads are non-intrusive, include a "Skip Ad" option, and allow smooth transition without messaging that pressures or shames the viewer.
- We don't spam our donors with calls and whatsapp messages.
ASCI Guidelines
An advertisement for a charitable organization or crowdsourcing platform for charity shall not: b)disrespect the dignity of those on whose behalf an appeal is being made by any means, including showing graphic images of victims in distress, particularly children and minors.
Milaap's Practice:
- No names or full faces of minors used; children are referred to as 'son/daughter of...'.
- Blurring or soft-masking of children’s faces in videos.
- No close-ups of deformities or distressful visuals.
- Focus is on urgency and context, not visual distress.
- Trigger warnings: 'This video contains sensitive content.'
- No visuals of pleading/folded hands.
ASCI Guidelines
When an appeal is made for a specific case or a specific beneficiary, the ad must explicitly disclose if the funds could potentially be used for other purposes or other beneficiaries. Ads must not mislead consumers about where or to whom their donations are going.
Milaap's Practice:
- All fundraisers clearly display the details of each transfer with amount and date of transfer.
- All fundraisers driven on ads has a clear stories landing pages that include:
- Details on the purpose of funds
- Verification done by the team
- All supporting documents
- In case of unfortunate scenarios such as death or the funds not being needed anymore by the beneficiary, reallocation is done transparently and with prior donor notification and the consent of the patient’s family.
ASCI Guidelines
An advertiser must be able to produce evidence of express consent for use of images of beneficiaries, if asked to do so.
Milaap's Practice:
- Every promo video is created only after written consent from the parent/guardian.
- Consent is recorded in both English and the guardian’s native language (e.g., Hindi, Tamil).
- Consent form includes: usage scope, promotion and distribution, fees and duration of validity.
ASCI Guidelines
In digital advertising, any image shown in the ad that could cause unjustified distress to an ordinary consumer, must be blurred and made visible only for those interested in clicking and knowing more.
Milaap's Practice:
- Blurring of wounds/surgical sites on ads
- Click-to-reveal mechanism (graphic image shown only if user chooses to view more)
- Trigger warnings precede the content.
- Ads are reviewed to strike a balance between impact and ethical sensitivity.
ASCI Guidelines
If a crowdsourcing or crowdfunding platform collects a percentage or fee for managing or raising donor funds, it must be made clear what such amounts are in the advertisement itself.
Milaap's Practice:
- Zero platform fee for regular fundraisers.
- For advertised/promotional fundraisers, we mention the amount that was spent on platforms like Google/Facebook to raise the funds on the fundraiser and story pages.
ASCI Guidelines
Where a promotion states or implies that part of the price paid for goods or services will be given to a charity or cause, the advertisement must state the actual amount or percentage of the price that will be paid to the charity or cause, for example, 'Rs. 10 per sale' or '10% of the purchase price.'
Milaap's Practice:
- Milaap does not operate on a sales model, nor promote goods in return for donations.
- All promotions are for donation-based fundraisers only.
ASCI Guidelines
Donors must have a mechanism to raise grievances or concerns.
Milaap's Practice:
- Milaap has a dedicated grievance redressal team.
- Ads include CTA options such as "Have a concern with this ad? Click here."
- We provide an option to Report the fundraiser on all fundraiser pages.
- Regular donor feedback is reviewed to refine ad guidelines and reduce distress.
About NCPCR
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is a statutory body under the CPCR Act, 2005, mandated to monitor and ensure protection of child rights in India. It also oversees the implementation of POCSO Act, 2012; JJ Act, 2015 and RTE Act, 2009.
NCPCR Guideline
The Commission observes that using pictures or videos showcasing vulnerable children in deplorable conditions for fundraising violates child rights and the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. It recommends refraining from such practices.
Key Principles We Follow
- Respectful Visual Representation: Images/videos of minors always blur eyes and never disclose names. Campaigns undergo strict review.
- Informed Consent and Caregiver Involvement: Consent is recorded in English and native language. Parents are briefed on content usage across platforms.
- Sensitive Storytelling: We avoid portraying children in pitiable conditions or using guilt-inducing narratives. Children never narrate their suffering.
- Platform Moderation and Escalation Protocols: Content is monitored by trained teams to ensure alignment with child rights, and violations are escalated as per protocol.
Advertising Standards & Regulatory Compliance
At Milaap, we ensure our advertising practices align with nationally recognized ethical guidelines. One such standard is set by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), which governs fairness and decency in advertising.
Why It Matters
Milaap adheres to ASCI’s code to protect donor trust and prevent exploitation through advertising. This includes avoiding misleading or emotionally manipulative content and maintaining clarity, dignity, and truthfulness in all promotional messaging.
Our Commitment
We actively review promotional campaigns to ensure they meet ASCI standards, especially in sensitive medical fundraisers. This helps us uphold public trust while promoting only verified, compassionate storytelling.
Guidelines for Charitable Donations
Access comprehensive guidelines that govern advertising for charitable donations, ensuring transparency, ethical practices, and donor protection.