UK lawmakers have made a promise to crack down on unlawful advertising by imposing stricter rules for social media and online platforms such as Google Ads, forcing them to take stricter action to prevent underage individuals from seeking a range of adverts for products such as gambling or alcohol.
Earlier today, the UK Government announced that it plans to introduce rules aimed at making the online advertising industry in the country more suitable for the digital age, including preventing various scams involving social media influencers and celebrities, who receive gifts or money in return for posting various promotional materials on such platforms.
As revealed by UK ministers, major internet and “ad tech” groups, such as Google, which usually act as intermediaries for online advertising, would face more responsibilities in regard to controlling such content alongside online publishers, websites serving adverts, and applications. Influencers who receive payment for publishing promotional posts will also be covered by the rules.
The Government shared that search engines, social media companies, and other websites will be officially required to roll out special systems aimed at preventing people from facing illegal adverts. The new law would also aim at tackling the number of adverts for adult-facing products and services for underage individuals.
As explained by the Government, the proposals for advertising changes in terms of gambling and other age-sensitive products and services will be put out for consultation. The process, however, would not have any impact on the Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA) regulatory scope over legitimate, paid-for online advertising practices.
Online Advertising Accounted for 75% of Advertising Spending in 2022, UK Government Says
According to data provided by UK lawmakers, online advertising, including display ads, pop-up ads and banners, accounted for about 75% of the overall advertising expenditures (£34.8 billion) in the UK in 2022. The Government, however, warned that rapid growth had resulted in an increase in harmful advertising, pointing to some celebrities’ and influencers’ participation in financial scams and promotions for products that could inflict serious harm on society.
Sir John Whittingdale, the creative industries minister, commented on the issue, saying that online advertising had taken a significantly bigger share of the overall advertising industry. He further confirmed that the rules governing the industry failed to keep pace, so the Government had to enhance advertising regulations in order to make sure that customers were protected properly.
Apart from establishing a new task force to work in collaboration with the industry, British lawmakers are also considering the establishment of a special watchdog to oversee online advertising rules. The regulator could be either an already existing or a new body.
This is not the first time that advertising for certain types of products and services become the focal point of British lawmakers’ efforts. In response to some regulatory action in 2021, Google introduced some measures aimed at preventing adverts promoting gambling services, alcohol, or prescription drugs from being seen by individuals who were unable to confirm they were over the age of 18 or were not logged into their Google accounts. Unfortunately, some adverts have managed to circumvent the restrictions become sometimes content has been mislabelled.
The American multinational technology company said that its policies did not allow adverts to be personalised so that targeting based on gender, age, or interests was not available for users below the age of 18. Furthermore, Google noted that it had a number of policies in place to make sure younger audiences are not reached or targeted by adverts that are inappropriate for their age.
The Government has already rolled out measures aimed at preventing fraudulent adverts from being published on search engines and social media websites through the Online Safety Bill. The proposed new rules, however, are expected to go further and guarantee better regulation for the sector.
- Author
Daniel Williams
