1. How to be ‘safe’ in social media marketing? Tuesday 24 August 2010

2. What I’ll be covering... Why it’s important to be ‘safe’? How is social media marketing regulated? What does it specifically cover today? There are some changes planned: what are they? What about the debate about privacy settings etc? Some top tips.

3. Why it’s important to be safe? Uphold the integrity of the medium / your brand / client. Distance yourself from the cowboys! Deliver true self-regulation. We can’t always rely on legislation / regulation / self-regulation to police the sector. Social media is a growing & important marketing channel. We want this to continue...

5. Over 100 pieces of legislation relevant to advertising in England and Wales.

6. Some of this is generic (eg Data Protection Act 1998) and some is sector-specific (eg Tobacco Advertising & Promotion Act 2002).

7. Self-regulatory rules supplement legislation and fill in gaps where appropriate.

9. What’s within the ASA’s online remit?

11. Marketing to children – including unhealthy food products.

12. Environmental claims.

13. Health & beauty products and therapies.

14. Weight control.

16. Media neutral – and prohibits marketing disguising a commercial practice.

17. This means that practices such as ‘astroturfing’ (eg fake blogs) are not allowed.

19. misleading claims within marketing communications on advertiser’s own websites.

20. misleading claims within marketing communications in other non paid-for space online, such as in social media.

21. An announcement is expected to be made in the early autumn and the new remit will go live in the early Spring of 2011.

22. The remit extension seeks to update the self-regulatory rules and protect internet users, particularly children…

23. ...and it reflects the growth and importance of social media as a marketing channel.

26. This is the UK’s legal basis for handling personal data.

27. Debate over Facebook privacy settings / Google StreetView / behavioural targeting will influence this review.

28. Online marketing / services are (increasingly) built upon data driven business models.

29. The outcome of this Review is likely to have a significant impact upon marketing within social media.

31. Thanks! nick@iabuk.net www.iabuk.net/regulatoryaffairs