Misleading

A big part of our role is ensuring that ads don’t mislead. In fact, just over 70% of our work involves responding to and tackling concerns about misleading ads.

We should all be able to trust the ads we see and hear. And, in the majority of cases, we can. UK advertisers, by and large, stick to the rules. We only step in on occasions where an advertiser over-exaggerates, omits key information, or makes ambiguous or unclear claims in a way that’s likely to confuse or mislead us into making a purchase we wouldn’t otherwise have made.

The kind of complaints we receive about misleading ads often concern pricing and issues such as hidden costs like booking fees and credit card charges. We also receive complaints about exaggerated savings claims, significant terms and conditions not being made clear, promotions that aren’t run fairly, and health claims that discourage potentially vulnerable people from seeking professional medical advice or treatment.

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Latest rulings

King.com Ltd
- Upheld in part
- App (paid ad)
- 04 November 2026
Two paid-for Facebook ads for a mobile game misleadingly suggested that the content shown was representative of actual gameplay.
Omnilojo Pte Ltd
- Upheld
- Search (paid), App (paid ad)
- 04 November 2026
Three paid-for Google ads for a mobile game misleadingly suggested that the content shown was representative of actual gameplay. The ads also implied that the game had won awards when this wasn’t the case.
Scopely Inc
- Upheld in part
- App (paid ad)
- 04 November 2026
Two paid-for Facebook ads for a mobile game misleadingly suggested that the content shown was representative of actual gameplay.
Vistrex Ltd t/a Royal Ark
- Upheld
- Search (paid), App (paid ad)
- 04 November 2026
A paid-for Facebook ad and an app store listing for a mobile game misleadingly suggested that the content shown was representative of actual gameplay.

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Misleading

A big part of our role is ensuring that ads don’t mislead. In fact, just over 70% of our work involves responding to and tackling concerns about misleading ads.

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