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Advertising regulation refers to the laws and rules defining the ways in which products can be advertised in a particular region. Rules can define a wide number of different aspects, such as placement, timing, and content. In the United States, false advertising and health-related ads are regulated the most. Many communities have their own rules, particularly for outdoor advertising. Sweden and Norway prohibits domestic advertising that targets children. Some European countries don’t allow sponsorship of children’s programs, no advertisement can be aimed at children under the age of twelve, and there can be no advertisements five minutes before or after a children’s program is aired. In the United Kingdom advertising of tobacco on television, billboards or at sporting events is banned. It is also prohibited to advertise cars on the basis of how fast they can move and the relationship which the event has with the sport seen as a healthy pursuit, unlike smoking. Similarly alcohol advertisers in the United Kingdom are not allowed to discuss in a campaign the relative benefits of drinking, in most instances therefore choosing to focus around the brand image and associative benefits instead of those aligned with consumption. There are many regulations throughout Europe as well. In many non-Western countries, a wide-variety of linguistic (Bhatia 2000, pp. 217-218) and non-linguistic strategies (e.g. religion; Bhatia 2000, pp 280-282) are used to mock and undermine regulations.

Two of the most highly regulated forms of advertising are tobacco advertising and alcohol advertising.

In the UK, advertising regulation is governed by the Advertising Standards Authority. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission is the highest authority on the subject. States and more local political divisions can have their own laws on the subject.

• False advertising
• Business ethics
• Puffery

• "The Regulation of Advertising" at MediaKnowAll.com