Today the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) launches a new campaign to remind businesses they will be regulating the content of their websites and social media feeds to crack down on misleading marketing. In a move that reflects the ever-increasing influence of social media, businesses will be entirely responsible for any content they upload to online spaces from 1 March 2011.
The ASA have consulted various parties to draw up “legal, decent, honest and truthful” rules for businesses to comply with. Currently the regulations only apply to adverts in paid-for space and sales promotions, but the move to regulating social media spaces is inevitable following the thousands of complaints the ASA has received since 2008.
For more information on the new regulations, you can visit the Committee of Advertising Practice.