The draft document will be officially announced at the Social Media Landscape Briefings, which will take place on Tuesday, 16 October in Johannesburg and Thursday, 18 October in Cape Town.
Paula Hulley, CEO of the IAB South Africa, says, "This code of conduct will fulfil our objective to put the customer first, and to support a transparent and trustworthy digital supply chain in South Africa."
"By adhering to these guidelines, our members will create meaningful relationships with their audiences, where consumers trust that all paid social media marketing targeted towards them is respectful and ethical," adds Hulley.
The draft of the Advertising Code of Practice Social Media guidelines is an industry first and has standards with the input of a diverse group of industry stakeholders.
Gail Schimmel, CEO of the ASA, says, "As the ASA, we have always championed the rights of the consumer. This code of conduct is a logical and important next step in protecting consumers and promoting ethical conduct on such a dominant medium of communication."
"We are all unified in the common goal to reach our market in fresh, relevant and meaningful ways," says Murphy. "This is the logical next step in the evolution of ethical advertising in South Africa."
Once the draft code is presented, stakeholder groups will have time to consider and comment before arriving at an authoritative consensus. Once this has been reached, a formal date for rollout and adoption will be announced.
You can click here to view the conference programme, after which there will be a defined consultation period and date for formal adoption.
For more information, visit www.asasa.org.za or www.iabsa.net.