Harmful

All ads should be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and society. They must not cause serious or widespread harm or use approaches that are likely to encourage socially irresponsible behaviour.

This includes not causing fear or distress without justifiable reason (and where justified, the fear or distress should not be excessive) and not condoning or encouraging unsafe practice.

We have upheld complaints about harm and social responsibility against a diverse range of ads including:

Alcohol – e.g. not encouraging excessive or unwise styles of drinking
Motoring – e.g. not encouraging motorists to drive irresponsibly such as at high speed or without a seatbelt
Health – e.g. not discouraging essential treatment of serious or prolonged ailments
Body Image – e.g. not encouraging an unhealthy diet or lifestyle including the depiction of extremely thin models

Particularly special care should be taken when ads are addressed to, or depict, children or young people. Ads that fall in to this category should contain nothing that is likely to result in a child’s physical, mental or moral harm and they should not exploit a child’s credulity, loyalty, vulnerability or lack of experience.

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Latest rulings

Gorgeous Shard Puzzle Studio
- Upheld
- In-game (apps)
- 17 September 2025
An in-game ad for a mobile game app was socially irresponsible and likely to cause serious and widespread offence, including by objectifying and sexualising women and featuring a harmful gender stereotype.
Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Ltd
- Upheld
- 20 August 2025
A TV ad for Sanex shower gel was likely to cause serious offence by featuring a racial stereotype.
Inkitt GmbH t/a Inkitt
- Upheld
- In-game (apps)
- 06 August 2025
An in-app ad was not appropriately targeted and contained scenes that condoned sexually violent behaviour and were likely to cause serious and widespread offence.
UAB Convenity t/a Huusk
- Upheld
- 28 May 2025
A TV ad for Huusk Knives was irresponsibly scheduled.

View all rulings

Harmful

All ads should be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and society. They must not cause serious or widespread harm or use approaches that are likely to encourage socially irresponsible behaviour.

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Latest rulings

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Help getting it right

Popular advice

Food: HFSS Media Placement

Harm and Offence: Gender stereotypes

Harm and Offence: Sexualisation and objectification

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