The Debt Resolution Forum (DRF), a training, monitoring and representational body for the debt sector, has commented on the OFT’s revised debt management guidance which details the regulator’s stance on internet marketing.
DRF welcomed the new guidance and applauded the OFT's decision to step back from banning the use of sponsored links and social media by debt firms, but remained concerned about the impact of the guidance on other areas of internet marketing.
Commenting, David Mond, DRF chairman and CEO of ClearDebt, said: "The OFT's consultation document made it clear that the OFT thought Twitter and Facebook were "unlikely to be an appropriate means of providing consumers with sufficiently balanced and adequate information". In our response to the consultation and in conversation with the OFT DRF disagreed, believing that micro-blogging and sponsored links are only a signpost to a page offering a service. This page, DRF agrees, must be transparent and compliant.
"The new guidance reflects this and not just in relation to the internet, stating that the degree of detail required in various marketing messages "will be applicable, in varying degrees" dependent on the circumstances and is an important step forward."
DRF is concerned that the guidance continues to include reference to the use of inappropriate keywords in internet search, whether paid for (PPC) or not, as an "unfair or improper practice" and extends this to terms "even if allowed/suggested by internet search engines.
DRF believes that debt solutions firms that take pains to avoid misleading terms and which use landing pages which are fully transparent, clear as to the nature of the organisation and otherwise compliant cannot be held responsible for the natural search algorithms of major search engines like Google, or for the automated results produced by PPC advertising. DRF has revealed that the association will be continuing its dialogue with OFT on this point.
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