Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the contribution of online advertising to digital harms.

Government recognises the significant economic value that the advertising sector brings to the UK, as outlined in our Creative Industries Sector Plan. However, to maintain trust in advertising and ensure its sustainability, it is essential that any associated harms are addressed.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the independent body responsible for regulating advertising in the UK, through codes set by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP). The CAP Code applies to paid-for online advertising content and includes specific rules intended to protect consumers from harm and offence. We are also working with industry through the Online Advertising Taskforce to drive work on specific issues such as fraudulent advertising, the impact of AI, and influencer marketing.

As stated in Protecting What Matters: Towards a more confident, cohesive, and resilient United Kingdom, we also recognise that bad actors can exploit and profit from the advertising-based business models that some social media platforms are designed on. For example, they produce highly engaging but divisive content which can be unknowingly monetised by advertisers. We are working with the advertising industry and others to develop options for addressing this issue, and the Government has already convened cross-sector roundtables.