A recent study conducted by the UK Ad Watchdog uncovered a concerning trend of ads on mobile gaming apps that degrade and objectify women, using pornographic references and depicting nonconsensual sexual scenarios involving “violent and forced control.”
To monitor these ads for compliance with UK regulations, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) utilized avatars simulating different genders and age groups, resulting in the identification and removal of eight ads deemed inappropriate and harmful towards women.
Another problematic ad was for the interactive romance story game My Fantasy, which portrayed suggestive and non-consensual sexual encounters involving women.
The ASA also highlighted three ads for Love Spark: Dating Sims, which depicted sexually explicit situations and objectified women, violating UK advertising regulations.
In response to these findings, the Watchdog banned eight ads and issued warnings to the creators, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards harmful depictions of women in advertising.
Additionally, research conducted by the ASA revealed that almost half of UK consumers are concerned about the portrayal and objectification of women in ads, indicating a growing awareness of these issues in society.
The ASA’s efforts to address these concerns through stricter regulations on gender portrayal in advertising were prompted by public outcry and protests against harmful advertising practices, such as the case of Protein World in 2015.
Source: www.theguardian.com