Influencers, Brands, Skitmakers, Others Now To Obtain Pre-exposure Approvals From ARCON Before Use On Social Media

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News just reaching Brand Communicator has it that the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, ARCON, has mandated that advertisement of any kind that will be used on social media as well as other digital platforms must obtain pre-exposure approvals from the regulatory body.

This was made known in a press statement signed by the Director-General ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, today.

In the statement, ARCON noted that it has received several complaints on the advertisements, advertising, and marketing communications activities of skit makers, comedians, influencers, content creators/producers, bloggers, vloggers, etc on digital/online media platforms.

On these complaints, the apex advertising regulatory body in the country noted, “most of the advertisements exposed by this group are not only unethical with unverified claims and misinformation, but also in violation of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice.

“By this public notice, brand owners, digital agencies, secondary digital media space owners (i.e. bloggers, vloggers, influencers, comedians, skif makers, etc) and other advertising stakeholders in the digital/online media space are advised to obtain pre-exposure approval of all advertisements, advertising and marketing communications in accordance with the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and the ARCON Act No. 23 of 2022.”

Sounding a note of warning to those who may violate the directive, ARCON noted that it will not hesitate to take all necessary actions including sanctions and prosecution of violators of the provisions of the Act to ensure full compliance.

Across platforms of engagements, Dr. Fadolapo has always reiterated that the regulatory agency is now more empowered under law to effectively regulate and enhance inclusive growth. He also assures stakeholders that ARCON is not regulating to strangulate, adding that, all it plans to achieve with these new regulatory powers is to ensure good corporate governance and inclusive growth in the sector.

He adds that ARCON works collaboratively with all sectoral associations in regulating the conduct of their member organization to ensure a socially responsible practice. “By insisting on pre-exposure clearance of all advertisements, ARCON strives to check all forms of abuses such as misleading statements, spurious testimonials, visual and verbal exaggerations, misleading offers, suggestion or pictures offensive to public decency, etc.”

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