Regulator taking action at ‘shocking’ images of women in mobile games

An advertising watchdog is taking a stand against degrading images of women within mobile game adverts, describing them as ‘harmful’.

Mobile gaming has long been the most profitable sector of the games industry but it’s also arguably the most problematic, with predatory microtransactions and unfiltered app stores.

One issue which isn’t often covered is the objectification of women within in-game adverts and apps, which is the subject of a new investigation by the UK advertising watchdog.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) looked into the objectification of women in adverts for mobile gaming apps, and while the overall results are positive the regulator is telling advertisers to crack down on some ‘harmful’ and ‘shocking’ examples.

The ASA monitored adverts using avatar technology – software which mimics the browsing behaviour of different age groups – in order to see how many were breaking the rules when it came to the issue.

During the three-month investigation, 99.86% of the adverts shown to the avatars didn’t contain ‘objectifying or irresponsible’ depictions of women. However, eight adverts (from a total of 5,923) portrayed women in a ‘harmful’ way.

According to the investigation, these eight adverts contained ‘harmful stereotyping of women as sexual objects’, the use of pornographic tropes, and ‘sexual encounters which were implied to be non-consensual’.

The published study names three sexually explicit games and apps, rated 16 and above, which were advertised within other games of a lower age rating aimed at children. One of these advertised games includes ‘strong violence, sex, nudity, and strong language’.

As a result of the investigation, the ASA is telling advertisers, game developers, and owners of platforms to take responsibility in order to stop it becoming an issue. The organisation is also publishing new guidance for in-app adverts to make their stance clear to advertisers.

Jessica Tye, regulatory projects manager at the ASA, said: ‘We know that seeing harmful portrayals of women can have lasting effects, especially on younger audiences. Whilst we’re glad to see that most advertisers are doing the right thing, the small number who aren’t must take responsibility.
‘Through this report, we’re making it clear: there’s no room for these kind of ads in mobile gaming, or anywhere.’

Alongside this report, the regulator conducted research into people’s views on the objectification of women in advertising at large. They found that 45% of those surveyed were concerned about adverts that included idealised body images of women, while 44% were concerned about the objectification of women and girls.

Over the past two years, the ASA has investigated and upheld 11 complaints where in-app adverts have harmfully objectified women, or risked condoning violence against them.

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