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Regulators discuss the future of the UK's advertising industry

11 December 2017

The Communications Committee discusses what regulatory measures are needed, and what best practice should be encouraged, for the UK's advertising industry. The Committee questions the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The Committee also hears from an academic expert and the founder of an adtech firm.

Witnesses

Tuesday 12 December, Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster

At 3.30pm

In the first session, the Committee explores the challenges faced by ASA, ICO and CMA in overseeing advertising standards in branded content, the impending impact of GDPR, and competition law in the digital advertising market.

Giving evidence is:

  • Dr Michael Grenfell, Executive Director - Enforcement, CMA
  • Miles Lockwood, Director - Complaints and Investigations, ASA
  • Steve Wood, Deputy Commissioner, Policy, ICO

At 4.30pm

In the second session the Committee examines the future of the advertising industry with a leading academic and the co-founder of an adtech firm.

Giving evidence is:

  • Professor Patrick Barwise, Emeritus Professor of Management and Marketing, London Business School
  • James Collier, Co-Founder, Prism

Possible lines of questioning

Questions which the Committee asks across both sessions include:

  • What are the respective roles of ICO, ASA and the CMA in regulating online advertising?
  • How ready are UK businesses to comply with the GDPR when it takes effect?
  • What is the role of the ICO in raising public awareness around the ways in which individual's data is collected and used by digital advertising companies?
  • Is the current system of digital media advertising metrics appropriate?
  • How can immigration policy better support the UK's advertising industry?

Further information

 Image: iStockphoto