Brand owners beware: you are responsible for user posts on Facebook

Companies may have to radically rethink their social media marketing as a result of decisions by the Advertising Standards Board.

The decisions involving Victoria Bitter and Smirnoff confirm the position emerging from Australian courts, that brand owners must take responsibility for user posts on their social media pages. They put the onus on brand owners to actively moderate user posts and ensure they meet Australian advertising standards.

ADVERTISING STANDARDS DECISIONS – VB AND SMIRNOFF

The Advertising Standards Board investigated a complaint that content on the Facebook page for Victoria Bitter beer breached the Australian Association of National Advertisers Code of Ethics.