Protecting Young Minds: The ASA’s Ongoing Fight Against Harmful Advertising
A recent study by the United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) reveals a steady decrease in the amount of betting promotions viewed by young people on television. There has been a substantial 40% reduction since 2010. This is a component of a broader pattern, with youngsters encountering considerably fewer advertisements for products such as alcoholic beverages (down by a whopping 80%!) and unhealthy foods rich in fat, sodium, and sugar (down by 67% since 2016).
The ASA is undertaking crucial work to ensure susceptible individuals, particularly children, are not inundated with unsuitable marketing. They closely monitor advertisements for things like wagering and unhealthy food.
Although this is all encouraging news, the methods by which children engage with media are evolving quickly. The ASA recognizes the need to remain vigilant and is devoting significant resources to overseeing digital advertising as well. They have introduced projects like the “Exposure Report” and the “100 Children Report” to guarantee that young people are shielded from detrimental advertisement material wherever they are spending their time on the internet.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which oversees advertising in the United Kingdom, recently supported a decision against a gaming company known as Festival Free Bets. The company faced scrutiny for showcasing an online personality, Astrid Wett, in their promotional material. It seems her inclusion was deemed inappropriate due to her age, being under 25 at the time, which violates their regulations concerning advertisements for gambling.
