For anyone who didn’t know, the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) has had their remit extended to cover online media from March 1st 2011.  This will allow the organisation to review and take action against the marketing claims made by companies on their websites and other online media.

The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising, which includes rules to make sure advertisements do not mislead, harm or offend, will be applied to all UK based company websites regardless of the sector or size of business or organisation. (source)

The ASA website claims that since 2008 they have received over 4,500 complaints about online media that they were unable to deal with and the change has been in a response to a recommendation made by the UK ad industry.

Anyone who has worked online in the past 10 years will know that there’s been somewhat of a wild west frontier approach to business going on out there, or at least there was (it isn’t as bad as it used to be).  The Internet was kind of like a shiny new toy some kids got at Christmas.  They prodded and poked it until it nearly broke and their parents took it from them and let them play with it again after they’ve proven they’re big boys now…