November 2025
Content, Media and Technology
ASA upholds complaints against misleading countdowns and unsubstantiated comparisons
On 8 October 2025, the ASA published a ruling upholding three issues concerning ads by Hammonds Furniture Ltd.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found a homepage banner misleading because a single countdown implied one-time limited combined discount when the two offers ('up to 40%' and 'extra 5%') actually ended on different dates. The ASA held that 'won’t be beaten on price' and similar claims were unsubstantiated and constituted unverifiable comparisons with identifiable competitors, breaching CAP rules.
The ASA required the ads not to reappear in this format. Marketers must avoid misleading countdowns, hold adequate substantiation for comparative claims, and ensure such claims are verifiable. Businesses using bespoke pricing should avoid lowest price claims that cannot be evidenced or verified.
Find out more about the latest ASA rulings and advertising compliance requirements in our Q3 2025 ASA rulings roundup here.
Italy becomes first EU member state to pass an AI law
On 24 September 2025, the IAPP reported that the Italian Parliament passed a national AI law that complements the EU AI Act. The law establishes a governance framework designating the Italian Agency for Digital and the National Cybersecurity Agency as national AI authorities, and the Interministerial Committee for Digital Transition approving a biennial AI strategy.
The law permits AI systems to be hosted outside the EU, while public administrations must prefer suppliers that localise strategic data and disaster recovery in Italy. It introduces worker transparency and non-discrimination duties, facilitates secondary use of health data for research with de-identification, requires parental consent for minors under 14, and creates criminal penalties for deceptive AI-generated images or videos.
Organisations should align AI inventories and compliance with EU AI Act timelines, update governance and procurement policies, and monitor forthcoming implementing measures and Official Gazette publication.
Find out more about the EU AI Act here.
DRCF issues call for views on Agentic AI regulatory challenges
On 10 October 2025, the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum launched its Thematic Innovation Hub to provide regulatory advice on priority topics. It also published a call for views on the regulatory challenges in developing and deploying Agentic AI to feed into its first topic.
The call seeks practical insights on how autonomous AI systems interact with existing regulatory frameworks and where uncertainties arise. Responses will inform future DRCF work in this area but the DRCF is not planning to provide advice or guidance in this area following input.
The DRCF asks for input from a range of stakeholders in response to the following questions:
- What are the key regulatory challenges you face when adopting or developing Agentic AI?
- Are there specific areas (eg data protection, liability, consumer protection, competition, copyright) where clarity is most needed?
- How do current regulations support or hinder innovation in Agentic AI?
- What kinds of informal advice, engagement, or support would be most helpful?
- Are there sector-specific concerns (eg legal services, finance, telecoms) that should be considered?
- What future risks or opportunities do you foresee in the use of Agentic AI?
Businesses deploying or building Agentic AI, legal or compliance teams and other stakeholders, have an opportunity to highlight regulatory pain points and influence cross-regulator understanding and prioritisation and may want to respond. Responses are requested by 6 November 2025 and can be submitted via drcf@ofcom.org.uk.
Find quarterly updates analysing industry, legal and sector developments in AI here.
