<![CDATA[Gizmodo: asa]]> http://tags.gizmodo.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.png <![CDATA[Gizmodo: asa]]> http://gizmodo.com/tag/asa http://gizmodo.com/tag/asa <![CDATA[Perverted Gadget Prank Flags the ASA]]> The infamous Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was stirred to investigate this free 'USB Fornication Optimiser' after receiving complaints that, SURPRISE, it wasn't a real offer.

An offer on retailer boffer's site, it's tough to imagine that anyone might think the listing were legitimate given, if not the device itself, the accompanying text:

"Here at boffer we love our customers. The only complaint we have is we don’t have enough of them. Since kidnapping people and forcing them to buy stuff off us is a bit extreme, we have decided that you guys will have to help us by manufacturing new customers...

"With this in mind, we have teamed up with The Shenzhen Cattle Breeding Company to launch by way of a freebie (that’s right at no cost to you) a brand new product... We bring you THE USB FORNICATION OPTIMISER."

When the order link was clicked, it brought customers to a customized Rickroll (you know the clip, so I won't bother pasting it here).

Four of these customers then complained that "the promotion was misleading because it was not clear that it was not a genuine offer" while another three claimed the ad was offensive to those struggling to conceive. The ASA investigated the site on causes of Substantiation, Truthfulness and Decency before boffer was deemed clear on all accounts. [The Register]

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<![CDATA[iPhone Ad Pulled in UK Because It's "Not Quite True"]]> While Apple's been playing their trademark guy-with-the-finger iPhone commercials overseas, one has contained the simple slogan "all the parts of the internet are on the iPhone." It's kinda cute. And it's very Apple. But the UK's Advertising Standards Authority has also decided that it's very untrue and banned the commercial from airing in its current state.

The ASA's argument is that "all the parts of the internet" would surely include Flash and Java webpages, both of which are not viewable in their native state through the iPhone's mobile Safari. From the ASA:

Because the iPhone doesn't support Flash or Java, you couldn't really see the internet in its full glory...[Apple] made a very general claim that you can see the internet in its entirety, and actually that's not quite true - so we've upheld.

Apple, on the other hand, argued that they were referring to webpage availability, not appearance.

We can definitely see where the ASA is coming from, but there's a lot more of the internet than can be reached on a web browser anyway... [BBC]

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