What can’t be advertised on the Internet?

Are there any products or services that may not be advertised or types of content which are not permitted on the Internet?

In terms of ASA, the following has been identified as unacceptable advertising:

• Advertisements that play on fear ( without justifiable reason)
• Advertisements that contain anything that leads to or supports acts of violence
  [private]
• Advertisements that contain anything that lead to or supports act of criminal activity
• Advertisements that contains anything that is discriminatory ( without being justifiable in terms of The Constitution of South Africa 108/1996)
• Gender stereotyping or negative gender portrayal (without being justified as stated above) (74)

It is a punishable offence in terms of the Films and Publications Amendment Act 34 of1999 use children in pornographic publications on the Internet, thus including such use in advertisements.Reproduced with permission from Law Business Research. This article was first published in Getting the Deal Through – e-Commerce 2009, (published in August 2008 – contributing editor Robert Bond). For further information please visit www.GettingtheDealThrough.com.