Full advertising regulations are to be extended to online areas such Twitter and Facebook.
The online extension will come into affect in March next year. The ASA’s (Advertising Standards Authority) current remit online includes ads in paid-for space and sales promotions but from next year the rules covering misleading advertising, social responsibility and the protection of children will apply in full to all online marketing.
The extension of the ASA's power over social networking sites comes after more than 4,500 complaints have been received since 2008 about marketing communications on websites that ASA couldn’t deal with,
But from 1 March anyone who has a concern about a marketing communication online will be now able to turn to the ASA who have the ability to demand the removal of paid-for links to pages hosting a banned ad. It will also be able to place its own advertisements online highlighting an advertiser’s continued refusal to comply with a ruling.
Chairman Lord Chris Smith said: “This significant extension of the ASA’s remit has the protection of children and consumers at its heart.”
Currently it states on the ASA website that 'Although we do deal with some advertisements that appear online, the ASA does not currently have any remit over marketing messages on companies' own websites. This is also set to change in March.
Though some may see this as a restriction of online freedom it means that Facebook and Twitter users who are offended by an advertisement now have somewhere to turn to.
What do you think of these changes?
Are there any ads that you've seen online that you're worried about?
Source: skynews