{"id":37108,"date":"2011-03-08T02:22:47","date_gmt":"2011-03-08T02:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.corporate-eye.com\/blog\/?p=37108"},"modified":"2011-03-08T02:22:47","modified_gmt":"2011-03-08T02:22:47","slug":"new-regulations-for-u-k-based-online-brands-and-marketers-now-in-effect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.corporate-eye.com\/main\/new-regulations-for-u-k-based-online-brands-and-marketers-now-in-effect\/","title":{"rendered":"New Regulations for U.K.-based Online Brands and Marketers Now in Effect"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"If you’re a U.K.-based company that publishes content online (or shares content published by other people), then you need to know the new regulations from the Advertising Standards Authority<\/a> (ASA) that came into effect this month.<\/p>\n

Before March 1, 2011, the ASA worked as an offline and online paid advertising watchdog. If a consumer came across a paid advertisement that was misleading, dishonest, or otherwise deceptive, they could file a complaint with the ASA who would dish out punishments to offenders. Beginning on March 1, 2011, consumers can now submit complaints to the ASA for content published by companies, too.<\/p>\n

For example, if a company publishes a customer testimonial on its website and cannot prove the testimonial is real and comes from an actual consumer, they could be in violation of the new ASA regulations. Another regulation violation could happen if a company republishes or publicly shares content on Facebook, Twitter, etc., that was created by another person or entity and is found to be misleading, dishonest, or otherwise deceptive. In other words, unless online content published by a company is editorial or a press release, it’s subject to ASA policing.<\/p>\n

The primary aspects of the ASA policy that companies need to follow are:<\/p>\n