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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Mark Sweney

UK watchdog bans ‘shocking’ ads in mobile games that objectified women

An ad in the game Love Sparks: Dating Sim
An ad in the game Love Sparks: Dating Sim. The ASA found three ads in the game portrayed women as ‘stereotypical sexual objects’. Photograph: ASA

An investigation by the UK advertising watchdog has found a number of shocking ads in mobile gaming apps that depict women as sexual objects, use pornographic tropes, and feature non-consensual sexual scenarios involving “violent and coercive control”.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) used avatars, which mimic the browsing behaviour of different gender and age groups, to monitor ads served when mobile games are open and identify breaches of the UK code.

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