Advert by McCann-fronted 'HACKED OFF' group BANNED by Advertising Standards Authority

Hacked Off's 'Leveson' advert banned after watchdog rules it was misleading

Advert by Hacked Off has been banned on the grounds it was misleading

Implied proposals were endorsed by judge who led press standards inquiry

Ruling will embarrass lobby group which wants tougher press regulation

Watchdogs found Hacked Off advert was 'confusing' and 'ambiguous'


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Published: 01:18, 31 December 2014 | Updated: 07:52, 31 December 2014
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A watchdog found the language and presentation in the Hacked Off advert implied the proposals had been endorsed by Lord Justice Leveson (pictured)

An advert by Hacked Off, which is campaigning for tougher regulation of the Press, has been banned on the grounds it is misleading.

The ruling by watchdogs will embarrass the lobby group, which has been found guilty of failing to live up to the high standards of fairness and accuracy it demands of the Press.

The group hoped the power of celebrity would help it to victory in its cause and crafted an advert designed to win support.

It featured the names of more than 200 public figures it said backed its campaign, which appeared under the headline: ‘The Leveson Royal Charter Declaration’.

The language and presentation implied the proposals had been endorsed by the judge who led the inquiry into Press standards.

In fact, there was no such endorsement from Lord Justice Leveson in the advert, which ran in the Guardian and some other publications.

In a ruling today, the Advertising Standards Authority said the language used by Hacked Off was ‘confusing’, ‘ambiguous’ and ‘misleading’.

The decision may disappoint the many famous names recruited to support the declaration, who ranged from actor Stephen Fry to former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams [and Drs Gerald and Kate McCann, who 'fornted' the campaign - T.B.] .

The ASA said: ‘A national Press ad featured a number of names and the claim “What do all these people have in common? The Leveson Royal Charter Declaration”.’

It went on to state that leading figures were joining people who had suffered abuse at the hands of the media to support the establishment of a new Press regulator as set down in a Royal Charter agreed by MPs in 2013.

The Press and this new body would be overseen by a Recognition Panel set up by Royal Charter, which critics argue is the first step towards State regulation of a free Press.

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The watchdog's decision may disappoint the many famous names recruited to support the declaration, who ranged from actor Stephen Fry (pictured above) to former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams 


The ASA said the group was wrong to use the name The Leveson Royal Charter Declaration without any clear qualification as it would lead the public to believe it was ‘one of the direct outcomes of the Leveson inquiry, rather than a response to it’.

Hacked Off said it would appeal and insisted it had only ever used the Leveson name to distinguish its proposals from others that were being put forward.

It even suggested the ruling was a political decision to please the Press.

A spokesman said: ‘We believe that the advert promoting the Royal Charter was very clear in what it was aiming to achieve and was not misleading.’


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Music to my ears.  Thank you Tony for OP.

A lot of these celeb types and TPTB still seem to believe that the gen. public are hanging on their every word.   They are not and I think it might start sinking in that many of the gen. public are sick of hearing whining and moaning from so-called celebs who have been caught with their trousers down or white powder around their noses,blah blah,  thinking they can demand and they will get what they want.

Launching an appeal according to a spokesman (who is not named).   Heck we don't know  exactly who is in the Hacked Off group as some have point blank refused to say they belong to it or contribute to the funding.   

As I have said before, they are not the only ones who are Hacked Off, I am big time.   I just wish they would realise most of us couldn't care less about them and their seemingly inflated egos.

If they don't like seeing their private lives in the papers, then lead exemplary lives and they wont.   

Nice one, plebgate!  D'accord!