With the UK government finally set to implement a new Online Safety Bill, and the recent introduction of the Online Advertising Programme, we explain what brands can do now to ensure they remain protected when advertising online.
Online safety is an ongoing debate in governments, businesses, and classrooms around the world. The term encompasses a wide range of measures – both legally and in advisory form – aimed at protecting the vulnerable as well as the general public.
This ties in with every aspect of online including advertising, which, at its core, means taking a proactive approach when addressing issues such as ad fraud, misappropriation, brand safety, and data privacy.
The reality of the introduction of the Online Safety Bill is that there may not be much that changes in the day-to-day lives of advertisers, agencies, and brands.
Nevertheless, understanding why advertising safely is important on a wider scale should help foster more industry collaboration and create a better ecosystem for an already thriving industry.
As Christie Dennehy-Neil (Head of Policy & Regulatory Affairs at IAB UK) said in an article for The Media Leader: “…our hope is that it will result in effective, proportionate and digital-first solutions that can evolve in line with our fast-moving industry.”
What is the Online Advertising Programme?
The Online Advertising Programme is a government-led review of the framework that supports the general online advertising ecosystem in the UK.
It was launched in 2022 in response to concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in the online advertising supply chain. The results of the consultation were published in the summer of 2023.
The new rules are expected to put more responsibility on the wider advertising supply chain to prevent illegal and fraudulent ads. They will apply across all types of platforms including social media, websites, and other advertising display networks such as Google Ads.
To learn more about this initiative, read the IAB UK’s article
What is the relationship between the Online Advertising Programme and the Online Safety Bill?
The aforementioned Online Advertising Programme is essentially one aspect of the wider Online Safety Bill, which has just been agreed upon in Parliament.
The Online Safety Bill focuses on protecting internet users from user-generated content, such as harmful social media posts and videos.
The Online Advertising Programme, meanwhile, focuses purely on paid-for online advertising.
When it comes to the relationship between the Online Advertising Programme and the Online Safety Bill, there are some overlaps. For some in the advertising industry that could be worrying as government legislation can be stringent, but the hope is that these types of initiatives will help create a safer and more transparent online environment for users and businesses alike.
What are the types of risks when advertising online?
Online advertising is essential for businesses of all sizes, but it’s important to be aware of the potential safety risks.
Ad fraud, for example, is a major threat to online advertising safety from many perspectives, not least from a financial one.
Advertisers can lose significant amounts of money when their ads are clicked on or displayed to fraudulent users. This can happen when bots are used to generate fake clicks and impressions, or when ads are placed on malicious websites.
Brand safety is a further risk when advertising online. This describes the principle of ensuring an advertiser’s brand is not associated with harmful, inappropriate, or controversial content.
Since consumers often associate brands with the content they see, any negative association can destroy trust and customer loyalty. For example, an advertisement for a family-friendly brand appearing next to a graphic or violent video would reflect poorly on the brand.
Lastly, neglecting data privacy can also be problematic as users become increasingly aware of the importance of their data and how it’s handled.
If advertisers violate industry standards or their own privacy regulations, it can result in a loss of trust. Safeguarding user data and ensuring that it is collected, processed, and stored in a manner that respects user consent is fast becoming an important area for legal teams.
How is the Online Advertising Programme expected to help reduce online advertising safety risks?
The Online Advertising Programme’s main premise is to increase transparency and accountability in the online advertising industry.
Greater transparency will help advertisers and consumers to better understand the overall advertising ecosystem and identify potential problems or worse scenarios such as obvious ad fraud.
The bigger focus on accountability should minimize the potential exposure for advertisers when it comes to programmatic advertising as all platforms will be more liable than they currently are.
There is a risk that if it goes down a stricter route, some of the rules might impact certain types of ads such as gambling, though it remains unclear exactly what impact such strict regulations might have.
What can brands do now to mitigate online advertising risks?
While the implementation is expected to be soon, there are a number of things that advertisers can do to mitigate online advertising safety risks right away.
These include:
● working with reputable advertising networks and publishers
● making use of ad fraud detection and prevention tools
● reviewing placement targeting options and tools
● regularly monitoring ad campaigns for suspicious activity
● implementing data privacy and security best practices and ensuring all teams involved with advertising remain proactive
By taking these steps, advertisers can protect themselves from the financial, reputational, and consumer trust risks associated with online advertising.
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