I just saw a #Mulvad VPN advertisement on #YouTube that gave me the impression that London, and the U.K. government, were censoring its advertisements.

I did some digging, and this is misinformation. No regulator censored anything. Not the government, nor #Ofcom, nor the #AdvertisingStandardsAuthority, were involved at all.

#Clearcast, a private organization owned by some of the telly channel companies, which works with advertisers pre-broadcast, had some questions and rejected the initial advert copy that was sent over. And the tale as told even by Mulvad itself doesn't have Mulvad even answering them before it went off in a sulk to YouTube crying 'government censorship'.

One of Clearcast's questions, I read, was what rape, murder, and paedophilia had to do with #VPNs such that they ought to be in a telly advertisement. Given #TomScott's long battle with misleading VPN advertising, that seems like a fair question to be asking.

https://clearcast.co.uk/what-we-do/

#AdvertisingStandards

Martin Lewis 'do not trust' warning as people told 'don't be fooled'

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/martin-lewis-do-not-trust-36761701

Controversial Call of Duty advert just got banned in the UK - here's why

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.mirror.co.uk/gaming/controversial-call-duty-advert-just-36750712

Budget airline cabin bag fees can end up costing more than the flight, Which? claims

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/budget-airline-cabin-bag-fees-36380182

AU Vodka ads banned after watchdog rules they broke alcohol marketing rules

ASA ruling

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld two complaints against the company, relating to three separate ads seen on TikTok and Facebook earlier this year.

One TikTok video featured Love Island star Lucinda Strafford receiving a gold AU Vodka vending machine filled with cans of the brand’s Juicy Peach flavour. The ASA said the post could not guarantee it was kept away from under‑18s, given TikTok’s algorithm and the show’s popularity with younger audiences.

Two further Facebook ads featured US influencer Kai Cenat, who was 23 at the time, and another woman aged 24. Both were shown drinking AU Vodka products. The ASA ruled that alcohol ads must not feature anyone under 25 in a significant role, and therefore both posts broke the rules.

Company response

AU Vodka argued that Strafford was over 25 and that her audience demographics showed the majority of her followers were adults. They also said the Cenat ad was intended for US audiences, where the legal threshold is lower, and admitted the 24‑year‑old in the third ad was included by mistake.

The company told the regulator it had tightened its internal compliance checks and removed the offending content.

Watchdog’s decision

The ASA said AU Vodka had not taken sufficient care to prevent under‑18s from seeing the TikTok promotion, and that the use of under‑25s in the other ads was a clear breach of the CAP Code.

The watchdog ordered that the ads must not appear again in their current form and told AU Vodka to ensure future campaigns were appropriately targeted and featured only people aged 25 or over.

Background

AU Vodka, founded in Swansea in 2015, has grown rapidly into one of the UK’s best‑known spirits brands, with celebrity endorsements and a strong social media presence. The ruling is the latest reminder of the strict rules governing alcohol marketing online.

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#advertising #AdvertisingStandardsAuthority #ASA #AuVodka #foodDrink #influencer #KaiCenat #LoveIsland #LucindaStrafford #Marketing #TikTok #vodka