ASA Publishes Study About In-App Ads That Harmfully Objectify Women

The ASA has published a report about the online supply pathway of in-app ads which harmfully objectify women. It's the first time the ASA has undertaken systematic monitoring of ads in mobile apps. This comes against the background of Ofcom's recent draft guidance on protecting women and girls under the Online Safety Act 2023, and a recent Select Committee report on Women and Equalities Select Committee report about tackling non-consensual intimate image abuse.

The ASA points out that nobody, especially children, should be exposed to ads that reinforce harmful gender stereotypes, especially those that may incite or condone violence against women.

Happily, the ASA found relatively few instances of harmful in-app ads in its monitoring (eight of 5,923 ads served to its four avatars). Less happily, however, those were serious breaches of the rules. The ASA upheld complaints about 11 similar ads in the period 2023 – 2024.