PETALING JAYA: A proposal to have guidelines for Internet advertising has been deemed a redundant exercise by website owners who say they are already doing their own vetting to ensure that nothing misleading is put out.

A special committee set up by the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry says it may propose that websites make sure that advertisements they carry are not misleading as part of guidelines for e-commerce.

“We are looking at existing advertising guidelines by consumer associations, advertising associations and ministries to identify grey areas that are not covered by them,” committee chairman Dr Zuraidi Ishak said. “One such area is e-commerce and online shopping.”

Malaysian Digital Association president Rene E. Menezes, however, said web publishers were already routinely vetting the advertisements they allowed on their sites although there were no guidelines to compel them to do so.