Regulatory

ASA rulings—21 January 2026

As part of a wider ongoing piece of work examining misleadingness and irresponsibility in advertising for tanning products, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld multiple complaints concerning paid‑for social media and search ads placed by The Sun Company (Horsham) Ltd t/a The Sun Company, Tanbox Towcester Ltd, SFJ Group Ltd t/a SunShine Co, JD Tanning UK Ltd t/a Tan & Deliver Home Hire Sunbeds, and Byrokko. All five ads were identified by the ASA’s AI‑powered Active Ad Monitoring system, which uses artificial intelligence to proactively survey online ads in higher‑risk sectors and detect potentially non‑compliant claims before they reach consumers, rather than relying on consumer complaints alone.

CMA publishes 2026–27 Draft Annual Plan outlining priorities under new 2026–29 strategy

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published its draft annual plan for 2026–27, setting out how it will deliver the five strategic objectives in its 2026 to 2029 Strategy, with a core focus on promoting effective competition, championing consumers and supporting government through tailored pro‑competition interventions. The plan highlights the CMA’s intention to continue implementing the 4Ps framework (Pace, Predictability, Proportionality and Process) across all areas of its work. It also explains that stakeholders may provide views through a public consultation on the proposed priorities, which will inform the CMA’s finalised plan for the year ahead.

Commission proposes EU Digital Networks Act to harmonise EU connectivity rules

The European Commission has proposed the EU Digital Networks Act to modernise, simplify and harmonise EU rules on electronic communications networks. The aim is to strengthen the single market for connectivity, support investment in advanced fibre and mobile infrastructure, and improve Europe’s competitiveness through widespread access to high-capacity networks. The proposal reduces regulatory fragmentation by enabling cross-border service provision through single-state registration, promoting pan-European satellite services via EU-level spectrum authorisation, and improving consistency and predictability in spectrum licensing, including greater use of spectrum sharing. It introduces mandatory national plans to phase out copper networks and transition to advanced connectivity between 2030–35, supported by safeguards to ensure transparency and continuity of service for consumers. The Act also reduces administrative burdens, allows more flexibility in business-to-business arrangements while maintaining consumer protection, strengthens network security and resilience through EU-level coordination and preparedness measures, and preserves net neutrality by clarifying open internet rules, and will be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council for approval.

GDS and DSIT publish guidelines for preparing government datasets for AI use

Government Digital Service (GDS) and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has published initial guidance on preparing government datasets for use in artificial intelligence applications. The guidance sets out four pillars of AI-ready data: technical optimisation, data and metadata quality, organisational and infrastructure context and legal, security and ethical compliance—intended to address longstanding issues such as siloed data, inconsistent documentation, insufficient metadata and risks associated with providing raw data without adequate quality or provenance information. The guidance includes an AI-ready data action plan and a self-assessment checklist to help public sector bodies assess whether datasets can responsibly support AI capabilities over time, with an emphasis on responsible data stewardship, lawful use, governance controls and sustained organisational readiness. It is intended that the framework be updated as the AI landscape evolves and with feedback invited to inform future revisions.