Code on Internet advertising gathers international
support
Paris, 18
May 1999 – National
advertising bodies and leadin
g 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 recognize 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 o
r
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