YouTube Adverts: Time to End a Two-Tier System

YouTube adverts are not subject to the same scrutiny as those on TV and radio – and that has to change.

At present, adverts on YouTube in the UK (served through Google Ads) are not covered by the Broadcast Code that governs TV and radio advertising. That Code requires ads to be checked before they air. YouTube, however, relies on industry-funded self-regulation, which means harmful and misleading ads can slip through.

This is no small issue. Research shows YouTube is now the second most-watched platform by UK adults, behind only the BBC, and the number one platform for children. Yet its adverts are not held to the same standards as traditional broadcasters.

That is why I am calling on Ofcom and the Government to act. We need YouTube ads to be regulated in the same way as TV and radio ads, with stronger pre-approval rules and much faster takedown of harmful content. Fines for platforms that allow scam adverts to run should also be increased, with that money used to support victims of online harm.

It is simply not right to have a two-tier system where YouTube ads get a free pass, despite the platform being more influential than many broadcasters. The rules must catch up with reality.

I will continue to press the Government and regulators to treat online adverts with the seriousness they deserve. People in Newbury and West Berkshire and across the UK should not be left exposed to risks that would never be allowed on television or radio.