IAB Engage 2008: Secretary of state commits to self-regulation of online advertising
The secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Andy Burnham, emphasised the government’s support for self-regulation of online advertising at yesterday’s IAB Engage conference.
Burnham reiterated the importance of online advertising to the wider UK economy and outlined his commitment to industry self-regulation in what promises to be a turbulent time.
He said: “Government is moving away from thinking online is ungovernable. I don’t think we are there yet, we’ll get there in a self-regulatory way. The stakes in the ground are not quite there, that is something we need to address together.”
The secretary of state added that the industry must act responsibly and if it does so it will “get full support of the government”.
Nick Stringer, head of regulatory affairs at the IAB, said: “We recognise the importance of balancing online creativity and innovation with the need to protect consumers.
“The IAB welcomes the secretary of state’s emphasis on self-regulation in delivering that balance – something that the IAB is striving hard to deliver.”
Speaking about the financial downturn, Burnham said that the government must help the nurturing of creative talent to compensate for what is being lost to other sectors.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport: www.culture.gov.uk