Code on Internet advertising gathers international support

Paris, 18 May 1999 – National advertising bodies and leading international companies are building support for new on-line advertising guidelines by the International Chamber of Commerce, the world’s foremost developer of voluntary business codes.

They were quick to respond to a call for endorsements from ICC Secretary General Maria Livanos Cattaui, who said: "The ICC guidelines provide solid self-regulatory rules for ethical advertising on the Internet and aim to increase government and consumer trust."

Leading companies backing the ICC Guidelines on Advertising and Marketing on the Internet include: Dun & Bradstreet, Eastman Chemical, Leo Burnett, Nestl UK, Readers Digest and Shell International.

Endorsements for the guidelines have already come in from advertising and other business associations in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. Banks, chambers of commerce and other representative business associations have also given their support.

The ICC guidelines on Internet advertising were updated in April 1998. Other ICC codes cover advertising practice, marketing and social research, environmental advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion and sponsorship. They are used by professional advertising associations as the basis for national codes of conduct.

The Internet advertising guidelines cover a range of ethical issues, including protection of users’ personal data, messages directed at children, and the varied sensitivities of global audiences.

An introduction says: "Advertising and marketing on the Internet, World Wide Web, and online services should reflect the highest standards of ethical conduct…Responsible advertisers and markets should recogn ize that it is in their own interest to observe self-disciplinary guidelines specifically adapted to electronic or interactive advertising and marketing."

The guidelines urge marketers to have an open and transparent on-line presence by disclosing their identity clearly when posting a message, so that users can contact them without difficulty. Marketers should alert users to any access costs additional to basic telecommunications rates, and allow them a reasonable amount of time to disconnect from the service without incurring the extra charge.

A guideline entitled "Users’ rights" states that advertisers and marketers should disclose the reason for collecting personal information on users, and confine their use of the information to their stated purpose. The guidelines also say that marketers should take reasonable precautions to safeguard the security of their data files.

The ICC guidelines state that users should have the opportunity to refuse transfer of their personal data to other advertisers and marketers, except when required by law. Advertisers are also encouraged to post their privacy policy statements clearly on their on-line sites. Unsolicited commercial messages should not be sent to those users who request not to receive them.

Marketers are advised to respect on-line public groups by posting messages only on commercial sites and those with a related theme or which have given implicit or explicit permission.

The ICC guidelines stipulate that on-line advertising directed at children should not be exploitative or harmful. Marketers should ensure that parental consent is given before children provide information on-line. They should give parents information on ways to protect children’s on-line privacy.

Finally, the guidelines caution marketers to consider the sensitivities of global audiences by ensuring that their messages are not perceived as pornographic, violent, racist, sexist or otherwise offensive.

The ICC guidelines suggest that on-line advertising and marketing be conducted in accordance with the laws of the country from which the message originates. However, ICC points out that there is currently no international unanimity on legal jurisdiction, and that certain countries may claim jurisdiction over messages posted on-line from abroad. It has brought together experts from all business sectors involved to write a report on jurisdiction issues in cyberspace by the end of the year.

ICC Guidelines on Advertising and Marketing on the Internet

Companies and business associations endorse the new guidelines

Commission on Marketing, Advertising and Distribution