Spun News

ASA could be granted new powers to regulate social media marketing

By anant | 11 mar 2010 | SMO

The UK's Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) could be granted new powers to regulate marketing messages that appear on social networking websites.

New proposals from the Advertising Association (AA) aim to regulate "non-paid for space" on the internet frequently used by those working in website promotion, including posts on social networks, the eConsultancy blog reports.

The Advertising Association has put its recommendation to the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), which draws up the non-broadcasting Advertising Code administered by the ASA.

The association said paid marketing communications online, such as search engine marketing and pay per click ads - are already covered by the CAP code.

"Contrary to general understanding, much advertising online is already in remit and there's a very high level of compliance with the existing rules," said Advertising Association chief operating officer Rae Burdon.

He added that extending industry self-regulation to areas like business websites and social media would "increase protection for consumers and children".

Social networks are increasingly popular with those working in website optimisation.

Speaking at the recent Technology for Marketing & Advertising (TFM&A) Event 2010, Darren Dutton, business director at Marketing.co.uk, noted that there had been a lot more interest in social media as a marketing channel and website optimisation tool over the last year or so.

However, this also means that social media channels are also becoming increasingly popular with the government bodies that regulate marketers.

In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued guidelines designed to set boundaries on what marketers can and cannot do in the world of social media.

Currently, paid online advertising, such as search and display ads, fall within the ASA's remit. But the Advertising Association says that is not enough.

It explains that its recommendations, if accepted, "will bring companies' marketing communications on their own websites, and other non-paid for space online, such as brand activity on social networking sites, within scope of the CAP Code."