back to article Spotify cleared of exposing kids to self-love innuendo in TV spot

Spotify has been cleared of exposing children to sexual and masturbatory innuendos because the Advertising Standards Authority thinks Britain's Got Talent is unlikely to be watched by kids. The regulator ruled that the ads, containing mildly explicit references to procreation and teenage self-love, were OK to be broadcast …

  1. EddieD

    Obligatory

    When the ASA were asked what they thought was a suitable double entendre they gave them one...

    For goodness sakes - this is the country that gave us Carry On, Mrs Slocombe's pussy, Round the Horne, I'm Sorry I'll Read that again/Haven't a Clue and many, many other such purveyors of innuendo and entendres. Filth that the whole family can enjoy.

    Have we really lost our sense of humour to that extent?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Obligatory

      Have we really lost our sense of humour to that extent?

      Not really; t'was ever thus, if not substantially worse. Remember that moralising, self-righteous, do-gooding old bat, Mary Whitehouse? There have always been a tiny minority of arseholes looking to take offence, intent on telling the rest of us what we should see. Arguably, many are still employed at DCMS, judging by recent legislation, although the degenerate hypocrites of Parliament need to stand up and admit their involvement too.

      One positive outcome of these complaints: With such a large audience, we can put a good number on the proportion of cardigan-wearing, time-on-their-hands busybodies. Assuming both complaint sets don't overlap, one complaint per household, average 2.4 viewers per household, all "outraged" households have similarly outraged viewers, I calculate that we're talking about 0.003% of the population.

      That's less than 1,800 people nationally. I suggest we round them up at gunpoint and expose them to whatever the BBFC consider to be the worst, filthiest, most degenerate film they've ever had to sit through. On looping repeat.

      1. LewisRage

        Re: Obligatory

        A Serbian Film

        1. Swarthy

          Re: Obligatory

          A Serbian Film
          I don't know whether to up-vote you for the exactly correct film with which to ruin the busybodies, or to down-vote you for reminding me that that film exists.

      2. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
        Joke

        Re: Obligatory

        That's less than 1,800 people nationally. I suggest we round them up at gunpoint and expose them to whatever the BBFC consider to be the worst, filthiest, most degenerate film they've ever had to sit through.

        Turn them into a very long human centipede ... or conga line if this comment is being viewed by kiddywinks.

      3. FozzyBear
        Coffee/keyboard

        Re: Obligatory

        Remember that moralising, self-righteous, do-gooding old bat, Mary Whitehouse?

        I read the name as Amy Winehouse.

        Talk about doing a double take

    2. LewisRage

      Re: Obligatory

      It was ~100 complaints out of at least 7.2 million that watched it.

      Some people are dickheads and things will always be thus. They complained and the ASA rightly shot them down.

      I'm fine with this, as long as I don't have to meet or spend time with any of those humourless 100 complainants or the 7.2 million who watch BGT.

      1. Pete 2 Silver badge

        Re: Obligatory - Britian's Got Whingers

        > any of those humourless 100 complainants

        I would be surprised if the individuals who complained on this occasion were complaint "virgins". I have the impression that a considerable proportion of complaints all come from the same (small group of) people. To that end we could hope that the ASA is even just a little bit joined-up and can recognise the usual whining from the usual suspects and treat them with the scorn they have earned.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    They got off with that one.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: AC

      I think this story is going to receive a lot of innuendo-based comments - thank-you for giving us one

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: AC

        No problem, to be fair I had to think long and hard for that one but I think I managed to rise to the challenge and slip it in.

  3. jeffdyer

    It would be more interesting for The Register to expose the way Spotify have shut off existing device specific integrations, sometimes making several hundred pound/euro devices pointless overnight. If you have a 5 year old network received with Spotify integration, it will probably no longer work, and if you can't upgrade it to Connect, it's no better than a dumb old stereo amp.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Inappropriate response

    Spotify described the ads as "using mild and subtle sexual innuendo in a discreet and tongue-in-cheek manner"

    So Spotify's response to the complaints was basically 'suck my dick'?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Inappropriate response

      I think it was meant more along the lines of kiss my arse!

  5. samzeman

    Take a leaf out of Germany's book and stop sheltering the damn kids. They start teaching early, and do it comprehensively. I was on the internet since I was eight, reading things well beyond my actual sex ed level, and it did me more harm than if I'd just been taught about it alongside every other fact of life.

  6. Hans Neeson-Bumpsadese Silver badge

    Parenting

    I was watching one of the street entertainers in Covent Garden during the summer, and as part of his stage patter he said something that wad laden with innuendo.

    He followed it up by saying something along the lines of "if you think that it's inappropriate for me to say that because you have young children, then there shouldn't be a problem as your children are too young to understand the innuendo. If they do, then the problem lies with you, because you're basically bad parents".

    1. LewisRage

      Re: Parenting

      Which is a much cleverer and more succinct way of saying what I was thinking when I read the article, but absolutely accurate.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Parenting

      Reminds me of the time a woman was berating me in the street for wearing a typical 1970s seaside T-shirt.

      The motif was a black silhouette that represented a couple - as Frankie Howerd once said "coupling". Above it was "69" - and below it "Try it you'll like it".

      The woman's complaint was basically "Think of the children". My reply was that if they could work out the pattern and meaning then they were already "corrupted" from elsewhere.

      A neighbour puzzled over the design - until her 14 year old daughter went "Oh Mum!" - and explained it to her.

      1. earl grey
        Facepalm

        Re: Parenting

        Ah, like the old "fly united". Snork

    3. ma1010

      Re: Parenting

      As Alexander Pope said of young ladies, "They blush because they understand."

      If the kids understand, then no harm done, as far as I can see. If they don't understand, then what harm was done? Either way...

  7. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. LewisRage

      Re: Songs.

      @Symon

      There are at least three songs called Turning Japanese on the Spotify; The Vapours, The Vibrators and 'No Use For A Name'

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Songs.

      I really think so.

    3. Ynox

      Re: Songs.

      Yep.

      And it's been my ringtone for the last few years :)

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Two others complained about the first ad being shown in a cinema before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."

    Jesus, you sit through GOTG V2, having paid good money to do so, and the only thing you think of of complaining about is an advert? Holy shit. Perhaps they expunged all memory of the film, and only the ads stuck in the mind.

    1. Dan 55 Silver badge
      Childcatcher

      Some parents would rock up to a 12A film with their eight and six year olds, get upset with the advert, and be completely oblivious to the fact that GOTG2 isn't really suitable for young kids.

      They're probably the same ones that give them Call of Duty or something else which is 16 rated for a present.

  9. this

    Not a children's programme??

    I always thought Britain's Got Talent was a children's programme.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not a children's programme??

      Never mind that, who do I report the programme to for its misleading name? Half the acts aren't British at all, and there's diddly squat talent on display.

      Well, I quite like leering at Alesha and Amanda, but that doesn't justify the rest of the programme.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not a children's programme??

      "I always thought Britain's Got Talent was a children's programme."

      Not sure what their minimum age limit is for performers. In the past there have been choirs and gymnastic teams that were totally comprised of school children. Their usual composition was ages 8 through 15.

      In the days of variety theatre children would start their stage career with their family as young as 3. They would be on the same bill as Max Miller or George Formby junior - both famed for innuendo.

  10. Sierpinski
    Big Brother

    It was a warning, not a guidebook

    War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

    - George Orwell, 1984

    Italics added to emphasize the pertinent bit.

  11. RonWheeler

    Spotify. Never mind the innuendo, sort out the lies

    Who advertise Chromecast integration, yet you can't start it from the Windows app and have to start it from your oooh-err-missus phone.

    Signed, yours, wasted money on Chromecast and ethernet adapter based on false promises. AKA lies

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Yep. Bieber's 'Love Yourself'. I think we all know what's going on in there."

    Yes. The song has Beiber suggesting some "go and love yourself". Meaning go f**k yourself. It's not the innuendo either Spotify or the complainant thinks it is.

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