ASA ruling on mobile app

A paid-for TikTok advert for mobile app SoulTalk was found to sexualise and objectify women, promoting harmful gender stereotypes.

The ad was published by Optimize Business Ltd and featured five AI-generated images of female characters appearing to have their mouths open. The images were cropped, which meant it was not possible to see what the characters were doing in full. Another character’s hands were on their heads in some of the images. Text stated, “Airdrop. AI assistant wants to send you a photo”. There was an “accept” and a “decline” button below. A caption stated, “24/7 chat about whatever you want”.

When contacted by ASA, Optimize Business did not respond. ASA considered that, although the images were cropped, they were presented in a way which strongly implied that the female characters were engaging in a sexual act and viewers were likely to understand the content as sexual in nature. As the women were presented as passive sexual objects, the ASA found that the ad promoted a harmful gender stereotype and upheld the complaint. Optimize Business Ltd were also referred to CAP’s Compliance team.