The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) published its 2019 annual report recently, highlighting how the use of technology as part of their ‘More impact online’ campaign, is doing more to tackle misleading ads and irresponsible advertisers.

The report opens with a Q&A session with ASA Chairman, Lord David Currie. Lord Currie discusses the launch of the ASA’s Diversity and Inclusion strategies, the industry body’s move to a new office and its five-year strategy.

Mr Currie said: “We’re one year in, but already have some exciting examples of how we’re using technology and research, including our ground-breaking use of avatars, to boost our proactive monitoring and compliance actions.”

The ASA’s chairman also discusses the industry body’s plans to develop its data science and machine-learning capabilities to change the way it regulates.

Data from the report shows that 97% of complaints it receives come from the general public and in 2019, the ASA resolved 34,717 complaints in relation to 24,866 ads, 70% of which were considered ‘misleading’.

16,767complaints were about 14,775 online ads; 9,971 complaints were about 5,216 TV ads.

The ASA and CAP joint report comes after the National Trading Standards Estate & Letting Agency Team urged estate and letting agents to check the status of its property listings following the re-opening of the housing market in England.

Property Industry Eye recently reported that descriptions such as ‘new on the market’ or ‘new instruction’ prior to lockdown are not valid for properties that have been relisted, or because the marketing was suspended.

It is a legal requirement that the status of a property listing is accurately described and updated in a timely manner, as this is material information for prospective purchasers.

Commenting on the ASA’s ‘More impact online’ campaign, CAP Chairman, James Best, outlines the role CAP plays in delivering the strategy, saying: “For the ASA to deliver its strategy, the Advertising Codes and guidance need to be up to the challenge of regulating online advertising, as fast as that evolves.

“This is, of course, in the advertising industry’s interest, so our Committees and their advisory panels are fully engaged in the ASA’s goal of greater impact online,” Mr Best added.

The ASA’s Chief Executive, Guy Parker, said the industry body had made “good progress” on its five-year strategy despite what he described as ‘socio-political’ uncertainty. He said, “We must be unstinting in our ambition to make ads responsible, wherever they appear.”

Key to the ASA’s and CAP’s strategy is the launch of its ‘world-leading Avatar Monitoring’, which proactively captures and analyses online ads using ‘avatars’ that mimic the browsing of children and young people. The use of this innovative technology has helped the ASA and CAP target irresponsible advertisers.

According to the annual report, avatars have made 196,000 visits to more than 250 websites, outlining the ASA’s commitment to using technology to strengthen online ad regulations.

CAP’s Compliance Executive, Conor Gibson, said: “The Avatar Monitoring system has allowed us to capture and review 95,000 ads.”

Head of Operations for the Complaints and Investigations department at the ASA, Jo Poots said: “The ASA is aiming to become a leader in AI-driven advertising regulation.

“Using a three-phased approach over the next four years, we will build an internal data science capability that will utilise advanced machine-learning techniques to tackle fundamental regulatory issues and provide an even greater level of consumer protection,” Poots added.

Meanwhile, the ASA’s commitment to using technology will also aim to tackle scam ads in paid-for spaces. The ASA’s Operations Manager, Jessica Tye, said: “Working in partnership with the major ad platforms and networks, we developed a Scam Ad Alert system to quickly share information about paid-for scam ads.

“A three-month trial of the system began in January 2020. It represents a significant step forward in intelligence sharing and has the potential to play a part in reducing the impact of harmful ads on consumers,” Tye added.

In addition to broadening its use of technology, the ASA prioritised a number of operations, including tackling SME website-only complaints. Operations Manager of the ASA’s complaints department, Justine Grimley, said: “We issued more Advice Notices for minor breaches for SME website claims.

“Advice Notices get to advertisers more quickly with details of why the ad was wrong and how to amend it. As a result of our efficiencies, in 2019 we also saw a 34% reduction in the number of published rulings compared with the previous year.”

Throughout 2019, the ASA has also stepped up efforts to tackle misleading prices. Head of Casework at the ASA, Jane Eldridge, said: “Responding to a number of complaints about misleading reference prices for products marketed online, the ASA trialled a collaboration with a large online retailer and their Primary Authority (PA).

“Using example complaints received by the ASA as test cases, the retailer and PA were able to interrogate the underlying system, leading to a change to the logic used to verify reference prices across hundreds of thousands of products,” Eldridge added.

According to the annual report, the work of the ASA has helped HMRC to crackdown on misleading tax avoidance schemes. “The ASA’s Director of Complaints and Investigations, Miles Lockwood, said: The ASA upheld three complaints brought by the HMRC into ads promoting contractor loan schemes, disguised remuneration trusts and stamp duty avoidance schemes on residential property.”

Property Industry Eye recently reported that HMRC stamp duty receipts had plummeted amid coronavirus lockdown measures.