Sharon Mitchell explains how the ASA is reaching out to the worldwide web
Following on from the recent revision of the CAP and BCAP Codes in September 2010, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has now been allowed to extend its scope to the world of online advertising—not before time some will say. The ubiquity of promotional websites and the increased use of social networking sites and web browsing by children build a strong case for increasing scrutiny. There is also an argument for ensuring a level playing field between the traditional modes of advertising and the burgeoning world of e-commerce.
From 1 March 2010, the ASA will be including online advertising under the CAP Code. This will cover organisations which operate in the UK, as well as monitoring some electronic communications such as SMS messaging and emails. CAP services refer to this as their “digital remit”, which will cover:
l Advertising on the marketer’s website; and
l Free online marketing communications by the advertiser placed on other sites like social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
User generated content (UGC) will also be covered by the new
