Advertising watchdog gets new powers
Travel company adverts on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are to come under the scrutiny of the Advertising Standards Authority for the first time.
At the moment, the ASA has jurisdiction only over paid-for adverts and sales promotions online, but from March 1 next year its powers to stamp out misleading advertising will be extended to all online content.
The ASA said its remit would apply to all sectors and all businesses and organisations, ‘regardless of size’.
Over the past two years, the ASA has received 4,500 complaints against online adverts but has been powerless to act because the Code of Non-broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP code) did not apply to non-paid for space.
The CAP Code has now been extended to cover companies’ adverts on their own websites and adverts on social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook.
It will have the power to remove paid-for links on search engines to misleading adverts. The ASA said it could even place its own adverts online to highlight a company’s wrongdoing.
The new remit will come into force on March 1 next year, giving the ASA time to raise awareness among companies of the advertising regulations.
Website owners are being urged to sign up to CAP Services to get guidance and training to ensure their sites comply with the new rules before March 1.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports