Second Special Report - Influencer Culture: Lights, camera, inaction?: ASA System and CMA Responses to the Committee’s Twelfth Report of Session 2021-22

This is the government's response, published 22 July 2022.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The ASA system and the CMA each respond to the Committee's report, committing to some further work on influencer advertising while stating that the ASA system lacks a basis to consider watermarking virtual influencers and that the CAP Code already includes enhanced disclosure for ads aimed at children.

• On watermarking virtual influencers, the ASA system says that, in the absence of evidence of advertising-related harm, it does "not have the basis to consider further, at this stage" the recommendation.
• On the CAP Code's remit tests, the ASA system will "commit to exploring" how to clarify that payment alone invokes disclosure requirements, and will explore whether there is a case for reconsidering the payment and control tests.
• On under-16s in marketing, the ASA system says the safeguarding concerns fall outside its remit, but will "commit to review by the end of 2022" its guidance and, "if necessary", update it.
• The CMA says it is satisfied Meta is making "appropriate progress" on its undertakings, with full implementation expected by the end of 2022, and expects to publish final compliance principles for platforms "in due course".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error