Lib Dems call for urgent regulation of YouTube ads after wave of scams
The Liberal Democrats are urging stricter regulation of YouTube ads after a surge of scams—deepfake endorsements, fake competitions and bogus investment offers—slipped through with minimal oversight. Although YouTube ads fall under the same Advertising Standards Authority rules as TV, they face no pre-approval or real-time checks. Lib Dems want Ofcom to gain powers to pre-clear ads, levy fines for repeat offenders and use penalties to support scam victims. YouTube insists it enforces strict ad policies but argues it shouldn’t be treated like a broadcaster.