The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today launched a consultation which is intended to clarify its approach to the supervision of financial promotions in social media.
Following conversations with industry over the past 18 months, the FCA says it is fully aware of the increase in firms’ use of digital media for customer communications and specifically for financial promotions. More particularly, firms are using, or wanting to use social media for their communications with customers. However, many firms perceive difficulties in complying with some of the FCA rules, particularly with the financial promotion rule for character-limited forms of social media such as Twitter. The FCA has therefore published a consultation which sets out its approach and seeks feedback.
Clive Adamson, director of supervision at the FCA, said: “The FCA sees positive benefits from using social media but there has to be an element of compliance. Primarily, what firms do on social media must ensure customers are at the heart of their business.
“Our overall approach is that financial promotions, whether on social media or traditional media, should be fair, clear and not misleading. We have had extensive industry engagement on this issue and we believe our guidance is a sensible approach that doesn’t affect industry’s ability to innovate using new forms of media. We recognise social media are constantly evolving. We, therefore, welcome feedback to today’s consultation and look forward to continuing the discussion with industry.”
The FCA’s overall approach is that the financial promotion rules are intended to be media-neutral to ensure that consumers are presented with certain minimum information, in a fair and balanced way, at the outset of firms’ interaction with them. The rules include sector-specific requirements but in each case there is an overarching principle that any communication should be fair, clear and not misleading.
The FCA says it does not want to prevent the use of social media. They allow firms to contact their customers, and vice versa, both pre- and post-sale. However, firms are reminded that any form of communication (including through social media) is capable of being a financial promotion, depending on whether it includes an invitation or inducement to engage in financial activity. Therefore it remains a fundamental requirement that all communications (including financial promotions) are compliant.
Communications through social media can reach a wide audience very rapidly, so firms should take account of that in their decision to promote through social media, and the nature of their promotions. Firms should therefore ensure that their original communication would remain fair, clear and not misleading, even if it ends up in front of a non-intended recipient (through others re-tweeting on Twitter or sharing on Facebook). A way of managing this risk is the use of software that enables advertisers to target particular groups very precisely.
The requirements to be fair and not misleading imply balance in how financial products and services are promoted, so that consumers have an appreciation not only of the potential benefits but also of any relevant risks. Firms should consider the appropriateness of character-limited media as a means of promoting complex features of financial products or services. It may be possible to signpost a product or service with a link to more comprehensive information provided that the promotion remains compliant in itself. Alternatively, it may be more appropriate to use ‘image advertising’.
