UK Ad Watchdog Criticizes Social Media for Failing to Block Harmful Health Ads

Britain's advertising regulator has sharply criticized social media companies for their inadequate protection of users against misleading and potentially harmful health advertisements. Guy Parker, chief executive of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), stated that online advertising has "amplified harms" and urged platforms like Google and Meta to strengthen their efforts to prevent dangerous health claims from reaching consumers.

The ASA's recent monitoring revealed widespread issues with advertisements for a range of products, including those for babies, menopause supplements, and hair-loss treatments. Parker noted a significant increase in ads for home health test kits, testosterone, and prostate testing, as well as supplements claiming to treat conditions from menopause to autism, injectable peptides, and cosmetic interventions.

While acknowledging the growth of the health and wellbeing sector and the existence of legitimate online promotions, Parker cautioned that "new frontiers are opening up, new trends are emerging, and with them potential ad-related harms." He added, "the reality is too many products aren't being advertised responsibly."

Over a four-week period this summer, the ASA's monitoring system identified 309,000 health-related paid advertisements across Google, Meta, TikTok, and other websites. Of these, over 30,000 were in seven areas identified as having a particularly high risk of harm to consumers from misleading ads. These areas included products for baby colic and reflux, mushroom supplements, women's hormonal health, fertility and menopause, magnesium supplements, men's hormonal health, hair-loss treatments, and research peptides.

An assessment of approximately 600 ads from these high-risk categories found that at least nine in ten were rated medium or high compliance risk. High-risk ads demonstrated a clear breach of advertising rules and posed potential harm, while medium-risk ads were likely to breach rules pending further investigation.

The most severe concerns were linked to products marketed to parents of infants. In the baby colic and reflux category, 59% of assessed ads were rated high risk, with over half promoting sleep or elevation devices for reflux, colic, or sleep. These advertisements contradicted established safe sleep advice recommending babies sleep on a firm, flat mattress in a clear, separate space. The ASA has prioritized action on baby sleep products due to the potential for physical harm, including suffocation and death.

This warning coincided with a Product Safety Alert issued by the Office for Product Safety and Standards regarding certain baby sleeping bags that lack armholes or have hoods, posing risks of suffocation, overheating, serious injury, or death. Since 2023, nearly 50 recalls or safety reports involving dangerous baby sleeping bags have been issued in the UK.

Concerns were also raised about mushroom supplements, with 53% of assessed ads rated high risk. Some ads targeted individuals with serious lung conditions like COPD and asthma, or suggested supplements could repair lung damage, while others implied smokers could continue smoking if they used the products.

The ASA also found ads suggesting established medical treatments were insufficient for individuals with multiple sclerosis or recovering from a stroke. In women's hormonal health, fertility, and menopause categories, 83% of assessed ads were rated medium risk, with some supplements making medicinal claims about PMS or menopause symptoms and exploiting women's potential feelings of being dismissed by doctors.

Parker stated that social media firms have policies requiring advertisers to comply with ASA rules and generally cooperate in removing problematic content, but significant issues persist. He emphasized the need for closer collaboration with platforms to enhance preventative measures and improve transparency on their effectiveness. Jessica Tye, the ASA's regulatory projects manager, added that while tools like investigations and AI monitoring are essential, the goal is to identify problems earlier, focus on critical areas, and work with industry and other regulators to prevent such ads from appearing in the first place.

Ashton Collins, director of Save Face, a register for non-surgical aesthetic practitioners, commented that social media advertising has "trivialized these treatments," warning that the sector attracts "unethical, unscrupulous providers whose sole aim is to get your money at whatever cost."