Company websites and communications made via social network and media sites are to be regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), as the industry regulator has had its remit extended by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP).

As reported in the Guardian, last week ASA announced that all marketing communications made by a company online will now come under its purview. This means that those offering social media marketing services must ensure their communications to the public adhere to the CAP code – the best practice and consumer protection regulations that already apply to adverts in other media.

ASA’s remit was extended in response to the 4,500 complaints the regulator received about online ads last year. Until now, ASA was powerless to inflict any censures on the offending ads because a great deal of online advertising fell outside of its prior remit; previously, ASA only regulated paid-for online advertising.

The new code will not come into effect until March 1st 2011, to allow the industry to make the necessary changes to the claims made on their websites and via social media marketing. The new rules will focus on messages related to commercial products or services, rather than editorial or journalistic content in an attempt to “protect the right to freedom of speech online” and will apply to “all sectors and all businesses and organisations regardless of size.”

“This significant extension of the ASA’s remit has the protection of children and consumers at heart,” said Lord Smith, chairman of the ASA. “We have received more than 4,500 complaints since 2008 about marketing communications made on websites that we couldn’t deal with but from 1 March anyone who has a concern about a marketing communication online will be able to turn to the ASA.”