Marketers must engage or face strict digital regulation

ISBA Conference: Marketers must get engage with the consultation on digital advertising regulation to avoid real danger of statutory rules being imposed by the Government, delegates at the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers conference were told today (March 4).

Richard Eyre, chairman of the Internet Advertising Bureau, which today issued its first self-regulation rules covering online behavioural advertising, told the ISBA conference: “[Culture, Media and Sport secretary] Andy Burnham would prefer to slap statutory regulation on internet advertising so we must act.”

Eyre also said he was today calling on the chairmen of audience research bodies BARB, NRS and RAJAR to meet with him to discuss how they can “better do their jobs” in future so they are not duplicating online research that proves unnecessarily expensive to marketers.

Eyre’s words on regulation were echoed by Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards, who said the regulator and the Information Commissioner are “strongly supportive” of IAB-led industry efforts to set up self-regulation, despite scepticism following instances of bad publicity in the past year.