New rules to crack down on illegal online ads and to protect children
In July 2023, the government published the outcome of its consultation on the Online Advertising Programme.
Social media platforms, websites and services like advertising display networks will have to take tougher action to stop children seeing age-restricted adverts for products like alcohol or gambling.
The Online Advertising Programme is a review of the current regulatory framework of paid-for online advertising.
Fake celebrity scams and pop-up malware from hackers will also be clamped down on as part of new rules to make advertising regulation fit for the digital age.
Online advertising includes the banners or displays which appear around the content of a website, results prioritised at the top of search engines, and pop-ups on a user’s screen. It helps businesses grow by reaching targeted audiences and can be cheaper and quicker than traditional advertising formats. In 2022, online advertising accounted for three quarters (£26.1 billion) of the £34.8 billion spent on advertising in the UK.
The rapid development of digital marketing, combined with changes in technology and complex supply chains between marketers and platforms, make it difficult to stop illegal ads appearing.
There is currently a self-regulatory system for the content and placement of online adverts in the UK, overseen by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). This is a subject we cover with our Marketing Apprentices.
The government felt that, whilst the ASA has a strong record of delivering consistent, effective results and holding legitimate advertisers accountable, they are not currently empowered to act to address illegal harms in the same way as harmful advertising by legitimate businesses.
Therefore the government intends to introduce new rules to tackle illegal paid-for online adverts and increase protections for children.
This plan complements other digital regulation reforms such as the Online Safety Bill, which is targeted at user generated content, and will build on measures tackling fraudulent advertising in that legislation.
Why this matters:
This shows the government is committed to combatting illegal and harmful content online to protect young people. Marketers and businesses need to be up to date with these new regulations to ensure processes are in place to remain compliant.
