Exemptions

The following types of material do not need to carry an imprint because they are specifically exempted:

  • Material, other than an advert, published on a website or app which is primarily for journalism
  • Any party political broadcast or referendum campaign broadcast
  • Certain shared material which still includes the original imprint. See Sharing and republishing material for more details

Material published on a website or app which is primarily for journalism

Material, other than an advert, which is published on a website or mobile app whose primary purpose (or one of whose primary purposes) is journalism does not need to include an imprint. This exemption does not apply to adverts, regardless of whether the platform has been paid to publish the advert or not.

Websites or apps which have journalism as one of their primary purposes can include for example:

  • Online newspapers or news channels
  • Newspaper apps
  • Online radio stations

Party political broadcast or referendum campaign broadcast

Digital imprints are not required on any party political broadcast or referendum campaign broadcast included by a broadcaster in its broadcasting services. A “broadcaster” means:

  • the holder of a licence under the Broadcasting Act 1990 or 1996,
  • the British Broadcasting Corporation, or
  • Sianel Pedwar Cymru.

A ‘referendum campaign broadcast’ means any broadcast whose purpose (or main purpose) is or may reasonably be assumed to be to further any campaign conducted with a view to promoting or procuring a particular outcome in relation to any question asked in a referendum to which Part 7 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 applies, or otherwise to promote or procure any such outcome.

If a party publishes the same material on a digital platform, for example on their website, then this will not be a party political broadcast and so will not be exempt.

Last updated: 2 November 2023