Keeping the lobbies in check

In every election, there’s an always an explosion of advocacy advertising as interest groups attempt to persuade voters of who they should back. These days, the most glaring examples are delivered directly to Kiwi social feeds from political and lobby groups.

Hilary Souter, the chief executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, says the ASA has received over 30 complaints under the advocacy category so far in 2020. As many as 20 of these have been specifically linked to political advertising.

Souter says the ASA already started receiving complaints about advocacy ads focused on the referenda last year.

She says the position of the ASA in these matters is not to determine which side is right, but rather whether any information contained within a sponsored social media post – or other ad – is inaccurate.

Souter says her team is currently geared up for what will be a busy lead-in to the election – particularly as interest grows in the two referenda.

Paul Wilson says he was drawn to the referendum work not for creative reasons but because of the burden of trust that comes with it.