ASA investigation into Tory chairman Grant Shapps website halted following assurances over pseudonyms
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ended its investigation into the website of Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps having been assured over the future use of pseudonyms.
The ASA received complaints against the website, How To Corp, claiming that the site was run by Shapps’ alter ego, Michael Green.
Having begun the investigation, Shapps removed all mentions of Green, purportedly a web guru, after people said they believed him to be a real person.
The site, which offers money-making advice, was set up by Shapps ahead of him going into Parliament.
An ASA spokesman said that the case had now been closed, stating: "We have resolved the matter informally with How To Corp. We have received assurances that the marketer will in future make clear if pseudonyms are used and that they will not use testimonials in the absence of adequate evidence."