Advertising Standards Authority

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the independent self-regulatory body for advertising in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for maintaining standards across all media, acting on consumer complaints, and proactively monitoring advertisements to ensure they are legal, decent, honest, and truthful. The organisation applies the UK Advertising Codes, which are written and maintained by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP).

While its primary mandate is within the United Kingdom, the ASA system manages the regulation of a significant portion of European adspend. It operates as a non-profit organisation and is funded through a levy system collected via media agencies, intended to support the administration of these self-regulatory standards.