The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority announced that it will toughen rules on ads that are deemed to play into sexist stereotypes or “body shame” women, The Guardian reported Tuesday. Specifically, the group will subject ads that present activities as only appropriate for one gender to increased scrutiny. “Our review shows that specific forms of gender stereotypes in ads can contribute to harm for adults and children,” said Ella Smillie, lead author of the report. The group previously banned ads that featured overly airbrushed or “unhealthily thin” models.
