Latest news with #Clearcast
Coin Geek
4 days ago
- Business
- Coin Geek
Coinbase CEO lashes out at reaction to UK advertisement
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) CEO Brian Armstrong is evidently dissatisfied with the reaction to the exchange's latest advertising campaign, which he claims has been banned in the U.K. by 'local TV networks.' 'Our ad which got banned in the UK by the TV networks has sparked quite a reaction. If you can't say it, then there must be a kernel of truth in it,' the CEO tweeted on August 4. The ad depicts British people singing about the joys of daily life while moving through a caricatured, crumbling Britain. The punchline is a well-worn 'crypto' trope: the current system isn't working and must be replaced by—you guessed it—crypto, preferably those listed on Coinbase. The connection between the ability to buy crypto on Coinbase and the leaky roofs, piles of garbage, and intermittent electrical coverage depicted in the video wasn't immediately clear. According to a report by The Telegraph, the advert was actually rejected by Clearcast, a non-government organization that screens advertisements to ensure compliance with the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) Code. 'Clearcast reviewed a pre-production script and rough cut for this advert. We considered that it presented cryptocurrency as a potential solution to economic challenges, without sufficient evidence for this claim or any warnings about the potential volatility and risks.' Nonetheless, Armstrong's tweet evolved into an impassioned defense of the advertisement's content, apparently reacting to as-yet unseen accusations of bias against the U.K.: 'Needing to update the system and improve society is not a political statement on either party in the UK (some have tried to turn it into this). And it's not specific to the UK (we ran ads with similar themes in the US). It's a statement about how the traditional financial system is not working for many people and how crypto represents a way to improve that.' Given the disconnect between Clearcast's response and Armstrong's implications about why the ad was rejected, it's fair to wonder whether the crux of the ad campaign is less the video and more whatever controversy can be manufactured from it, as Armstrong seems to tip off at the end of his tweet: 'We welcome the attacks and any other attempts to censor this message, as it just helps it spread.' Digital asset marketing has received notable attention in the United Kingdom in recent years. In addition to Clearcast's gatekeeping role, the Advertising Standards Authority is responsible for investigating and responding to complaints about advertisements that have already hit the air. Though it has not reviewed the latest Coinbase campaign, it did rule against Coinbase in a complaint made in 2021, over an ad which bragged about the appreciating value of BTC and invited customers not to 'miss out on the next decade.' More generally, promotions of financial investments are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the U.K.'s financial regulator. The FCA has issued several new rules over the past two years aimed at cracking down on irresponsible crypto promotion. Among other things, marketing campaigns must be clear and easy to understand and fully inform customers of potential risks. It must ensure all relevant information is included and that claims about potential benefits are not exaggerated. There is no evidence that either the FCA or the ASA has reviewed Coinbase's latest video. Watch: Bringing the Metanet to life with Teranode title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="">
The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
YouTube ads should be monitored like traditional media, say Lib Dems
YouTube adverts should be vetted in the same way as traditional media to protect consumers against scams and harmful content, according to the Lib Dems. The party said adverts on the video streaming service should be screened for 'harmful and misleading content' and brought under the regulation of media watchdog Ofcom. Culture spokesman Max Wilkinson MP told the BBC the social media platform was operating under a 'lighter touch' advertising regime. 'Regulations need to catch up with the reality of how people are watching content and unscrupulous advertisers must not be allowed to use loopholes to exploit people,' he said. 'We cannot allow a two-tier system where traditional broadcasters face robust scrutiny, while a digital giant like YouTube is allowed to mark its own homework.' Industry bodies Radio Central and Clearcast currently pre-approve most ads before they go to air. YouTube advertising is not subject to the same type of pre-clearance checks. YouTube is now the second most-watched media service in the UK, behind the BBC and ahead of ITV, according to an annual Ofcom report. Overall, people spent an average of four hours and 30 minutes a day watching TV and video content at home in 2024, with broadcast TV still making up 56% of in-home viewing, the regulator said. 'It's time for the regulator to treat YouTube adverts much more like TV and radio adverts, to protect UK consumers from misleading or harmful content. The government needs to act now,' Mr Wilkinson said. A spokesman for the Advertising Standards Authority, which monitors adverts on TV, radio and online, todl the BBC the cases highlighted by the Lib Dems came under Ofcom's reach under the Online Safety Act, but it would support their work and 'continue to play a disruptor role by reporting them and working with platforms to have them removed'. According to Ofcom, people spent 39 minutes a day on YouTube in 2024, with 16 minutes of this on the household's TV set. Younger adults aged 16 to 34 are driving the trend, watching 18 minutes of YouTube a day on TV, while one in five children aged four to 15 (20%) head straight to the app as soon as they turn the set on. Even those aged over 55 have almost doubled the time they spend watching YouTube on their TVs compared with the previous year – up from six minutes a day in January 2023 to 11 minutes in December. YouTube's soaring popularity comes as the platform's content has evolved, with half of its top-trending videos now more closely resembling traditional TV, including long-form interviews and game shows, Ofcom said. Ofcom has been approached for comment.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
YouTube ads should be monitored like traditional media, say Lib Dems
YouTube adverts should be vetted in the same way as traditional media to protect consumers against scams and harmful content, according to the Lib Dems. The party said adverts on the video streaming service should be screened for 'harmful and misleading content' and brought under the regulation of media watchdog Ofcom. Culture spokesman Max Wilkinson MP told the BBC the social media platform was operating under a 'lighter touch' advertising regime. 'Regulations need to catch up with the reality of how people are watching content and unscrupulous advertisers must not be allowed to use loopholes to exploit people,' he said. 'We cannot allow a two-tier system where traditional broadcasters face robust scrutiny, while a digital giant like YouTube is allowed to mark its own homework.' Industry bodies Radio Central and Clearcast currently pre-approve most ads before they go to air. YouTube advertising is not subject to the same type of pre-clearance checks. YouTube is now the second most-watched media service in the UK, behind the BBC and ahead of ITV, according to an annual Ofcom report. Overall, people spent an average of four hours and 30 minutes a day watching TV and video content at home in 2024, with broadcast TV still making up 56% of in-home viewing, the regulator said. 'It's time for the regulator to treat YouTube adverts much more like TV and radio adverts, to protect UK consumers from misleading or harmful content. The government needs to act now,' Mr Wilkinson said. A spokesman for the Advertising Standards Authority, which monitors adverts on TV, radio and online, todl the BBC the cases highlighted by the Lib Dems came under Ofcom's reach under the Online Safety Act, but it would support their work and 'continue to play a disruptor role by reporting them and working with platforms to have them removed'. According to Ofcom, people spent 39 minutes a day on YouTube in 2024, with 16 minutes of this on the household's TV set. Younger adults aged 16 to 34 are driving the trend, watching 18 minutes of YouTube a day on TV, while one in five children aged four to 15 (20%) head straight to the app as soon as they turn the set on. Even those aged over 55 have almost doubled the time they spend watching YouTube on their TVs compared with the previous year – up from six minutes a day in January 2023 to 11 minutes in December. YouTube's soaring popularity comes as the platform's content has evolved, with half of its top-trending videos now more closely resembling traditional TV, including long-form interviews and game shows, Ofcom said. Ofcom has been approached for comment.
Scottish Sun
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Twix ad BANNED from TV after being branded ‘dangerous'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN ad for chocolate bar Twix that was branded 'dangerous' has been BANNED from TV. The advertisement depicts a car chase between two identical caramel coloured vehicles - ending with one sandwiched on the other like a Twix. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 A Twix advert has been banned after being branded "dangerous" Credit: Getty 4 A watchdog said the ad "must not appear again in its current form." Credit: BBC 4 The advert featured two caramel coloured cars sandwiched together Credit: TWIX However, five complaints have been made against the clip, saying that it highlighted dangerous driving and was irresponsible. Mars-Wrigley, who own the Twix brand, highlighted that the advert featured a "cinematic presentation". They continued by saying it took place in a "world that was absurd, fantastical and removed from reality" This view was echoed by Clearcast, the non-governmental organisation that approves adverts prior to broadcast. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the ad "condoned unsafe driving" and "must not appear again" in its current iteration. Although the ASA acknowledged the fantastical aspect of the ad, it stated the video's first half showed driving "that appeared likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code". The watchdog said there was an "emphasis on speed", in addition to "fast paced beat and music" in the car chase and "visible skid marks" left on the road. Mars defended the advert, having said both cars were shot "driving at lawful speeds and any emulation would only reflect the legal and safe driving presented." The final scene showed a Twix bar falling through the sunroofs of the two still attached cars. This was also accompanied by the tagline "two is more than one". Original '90s TV ad for N64 game Super Mario 64 now worth thousands Clearcast told the ASA that the advert's style made it clear that it was not meant to be emulated, nor did it suggest "safe driving was boring". The ASA's ruling concluded: "We told Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK Ltd not to condone or encourage irresponsible driving that was likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code in their ads." It's not the first time that a TV ad has been banned from screens. TV architect George Clarke was paid by Scottish Power to star in their television advert. It was taken off air by the Advertising Standards Agency for breaching their guidlines. The watchdog said it misled viewers into thinking they were watching George's Channel 4 hit Amazing Spaces.
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Twix ad BANNED from TV after being branded ‘dangerous'
AN ad for chocolate bar Twix that was branded 'dangerous' has been BANNED from TV. The advertisement depicts a car chase between two identical caramel coloured vehicles - ending with one sandwiched on the other like a Twix. 4 4 However, five complaints have been made against the clip, saying that it highlighted dangerous driving and was irresponsible. Mars-Wrigley, who own the Twix brand, highlighted that the advert featured a "cinematic presentation". They continued by saying it took place in a "world that was absurd, fantastical and removed from reality" This view was echoed by Clearcast, the non-governmental organisation that approves adverts prior to broadcast. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the ad "condoned unsafe driving" and "must not appear again" in its current iteration. Although the ASA acknowledged the fantastical aspect of the ad, it stated the video's first half showed driving "that appeared likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code". The watchdog said there was an "emphasis on speed", in addition to "fast paced beat and music" in the car chase and "visible skid marks" left on the road. Mars defended the advert, having said both cars were shot "driving at lawful speeds and any emulation would only reflect the legal and safe driving presented." The final scene showed a Twix bar falling through the sunroofs of the two still attached cars. This was also accompanied by the tagline "two is more than one". Original '90s TV ad for N64 game Super Mario 64 now worth thousands Clearcast told the ASA that the advert's style made it clear that it was not meant to be emulated, nor did it suggest "safe driving was boring". The ASA's ruling concluded: "We told Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK Ltd not to condone or encourage irresponsible driving that was likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code in their ads." It's not the first time that a TV ad has been banned from screens. TV architect George Clarke was paid by Scottish Power to star in their television advert. It was taken off air by the Advertising Standards Agency for breaching their guidlines. The watchdog said it misled viewers into thinking they were watching George's Channel 4 hit Amazing Spaces. 4
