The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has joined forces with TikTok to launch a campaign to educate advertisers and content creators on the rules that they should be adhering to when advertising on social media. The aim is to ensure that advertising on social media remains ‘legal, decent, honest, and truthful’.
As part of the campaign, the ASA has partnered with nine TikTok creators to highlight the key areas of the social media advertising rules on the ASA TikTok page. Doctor Ethan, Sherice Banton, Morgan M James, Michelle Eltman, Matthew and Ryan, Rene Cravings, Mum & a Mic, Mammy Banter, and Florence Simpson will create videos around topics including misleadingness, recognition of ads, body image, harmful/dangerous behaviour, promotions, price, remit, food, and prescription-only medicines.
“People should be able to trust the ads they see, hear and interact with. Content creators, and the brands they partner with, risk eroding that trust and the authenticity they’ve built with their followers if they post ads that are misleading, harmful or offensive. It’s really important therefore that ads on social media follow the same rules that apply elsewhere,” said the ASA in a blog post.
“We’ve been regulating social media ads for years and, as the world is increasingly online, it’s vital that creators and advertisers are carefully following our rules so that people are protected. We know from the complaints we receive how concerned people are with making sure the ads they see in social media are labelled clearly and upfront and that they are truthful.”
The videos will provide tips for anyone who promotes a brand or product about how they can follow the rules properly. And the rules shared will apply to not only TikTok but across all social media platforms.
The first three creator videos have been uploaded to the @ASA_UK TikTok page today (15 October), with three more dropping on Monday 18 October, and the final three on Tuesday 19 October.
The ASA has also created a hub for brands and creators on its own website, where it shares further guidance on each of the topics that the videos on TikTok discuss.
