Social Media allows near absolute freedom of speech to the user. However, laws still govern what is written on social media and sometimes, innocent mistakes can lead to penal action.

Wayne Rooney, the popular British soccer star, found that out recently, when he used “his Twitter feed to mention his sponsor Nike, by passing off a promotional message as a personal comment without clearly showing it was an advertisement.” In reality, the message was drafted in consultation with the Nike marketing team even though Rooney didn’t disclose it to his followers, as required by the law.

This earned him a reprimand from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) which keeps a tab on such violations.

If you are using social media for promoting your brand, ensure that you are aware of the local laws and always stay on the right side of the law. (We can’t be tired of saying this!)