UK Advertising Watchdog Bans Mobile Game Ads Over Harmful Depictions of Women
The ASA banned eight ads featuring objectification, non-consensual scenarios, and pornographic tropes, reinforcing its zero-tolerance policy on harmful portrayals in digital advertising.
- The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned eight mobile game ads for objectifying women and using harmful stereotypes, including non-consensual and pornographic depictions.
- The investigation used digital avatars to monitor ads served to various gender and age groups, identifying breaches of the UK advertising code.
- The ASA emphasized a zero-tolerance approach to harmful portrayals of women, calling on advertisers, game developers, and platforms to prevent such content.
- A survey by YouGov found that 45% of UK consumers are concerned about idealized body images in ads, while 44% are worried about the objectification of women and girls.
- The findings align with broader societal concerns about misogyny, violence against women, and the negative impact of harmful portrayals on younger audiences.
The Guardian 
The Independent 