If you are marketing in the UK, you should know that the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) will soon have a remit that addresses more online marketing channels. Proposed changes to the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code will extend the remit of the ASA beyond paid online ads to all other online marketing communications. Clickz reports that the new code is likely to be in force by September, and:
As a result, claims from marketers on their own Web sites and third-party sites like social networks will now be subject to ASA scrutiny, as they are in TV, print, and other forms of online advertising.
Although the changes are likely to have the biggest impact on highly regulated industries such as alcohol, gambling, and the financial sector. However the regulation can impact on our industry: I once got a competitor to pull a misleading advert and the threat of the ASA intervening was enough to ensure a very quick response!