Scope of UK Advertising Code Extended
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Recently the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) announced that the scope of the CAP Code (a set of rules setting down standards for advertising) will be extended to a company’s own website and other non-paid-for online space which is controlled by a company.
The CAP Code currently covers sales promotions (wherever they appear), and other marketing communications are only covered if they appear in paid-for online space (such as banner and pop-up advertisements or keyword advertising on search engines).
The decision to extend the code was in response to a formal recommendation from a wide cross-section of UK industry. The limited scope of the Code was considered inappropriate due to the increased use by organisations of their own website and other non-paid-for space online, such as social networking sites. There have also been increased complaints about such websites and it was felt there was a need to protect children and other vulnerable individuals in the digital environment. UK companies have six months to ensure that their websites and other online space under their control comply with the code.
The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) currently monitors the contents of companies’ websites. However it remains to be seen if the scope of the ASAI Code (the Irish equivalent to the UK CAP Code) will be extended to social networking sites.
