Whenever you encounter an advertisement—be it for a new breakfast cereal, a mobile phone, or a car bought on finance—you trust that what you are reading is truthful. This confidence stems from the oversight enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which ensures that all “general” advertisements are legal, decent, honest, and truthful. However, this level of scrutiny remains absent when it comes to non-broadcast political advertising, leaving a significant gap in consumer protection. This article delves into the complexities of political advertising, drawing insights from experts like Lord Black of Brentwood and IPM Board Member Graham Temple to explore the pressing need for solutions in an AI world.


Whenever you encounter an advertisement—be it for a new breakfast cereal, a mobile phone, or a car bought on finance—you trust that what you are reading is truthful. This confidence stems from the oversight enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which ensures that all “general” advertisements are legal, decent, honest, and truthful. However, this level of scrutiny remains absent when it comes to non-broadcast political advertising, leaving a significant gap in consumer protection. This article delves into the complexities of political advertising, drawing insights from experts like Lord Black of Brentwood and IPM Board Member Graham Temple to explore the pressing need for solutions in an AI world.

As voters across England and Wales prepare for local elections, there’s a noticeable shift in how political parties are reaching out to constituents. According to the Electoral Reform Society, in 2017, campaigners in the UK spent nearly half (43%) of their total advertising budget on online advertising, compared to less than 1% (0.35%) of their total advertising budget in 2011. The absence of regulatory oversight has potentially opened the door to misleading claims, unfounded statistics, manipulated videos, and leaflets resembling local newspapers, exemplified by the infamous “Brexit bus” which made unfounded claims that leaving the EU would provide £350 million per week to the NHS. Unfortunately, purchasing everyday items like soap powder is subject to far more stringent protection than the information offered to voters when deciding the country’s future. This disparity underscores the pressing need for regulatory reforms in political advertising to safeguard the integrity of democratic processes and ensure informed decision-making among the electorate.
As voters across England and Wales prepare for local elections, there’s a noticeable shift in how political parties are reaching out to constituents. According to the Electoral Reform Society, in 2017, campaigners in the UK spent nearly half (43%) of their total advertising budget on online advertising, compared to less than 1% (0.35%) of their total advertising budget in 2011. The absence of regulatory oversight has potentially opened the door to misleading claims, unfounded statistics, manipulated videos, and leaflets resembling local newspapers, exemplified by the infamous “Brexit bus” which made unfounded claims that leaving the EU would provide £350 million per week to the NHS. Unfortunately, purchasing everyday items like soap powder is subject to far more stringent protection than the information offered to voters when deciding the country’s future. This disparity underscores the pressing need for regulatory reforms in political advertising to safeguard the integrity of democratic processes and ensure informed decision-making among the electorate.


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