Australian ad groups are arguing over whether or not social media marketing (in this case, in the form of a tasteless poll regarding parts of a bikini-clad model) counts as marketing, and if so, if it should fall under their regulations.

The debate on whether content should be regulable, as is done often in Commonwealth countries such as Australia - and even increasingly in the U.S. under the doctrine of separating out "commercial speech" - is an interesting one. People familiar with Australian society, media and even advertising may be left to wonder if the regulators' sensibilities are well calibrated to those of their countrymen. A visit to Australia would convince most that there is quite a difference between the two.

To the degree that these sensibilities are only a false division what is considered normal in Australia, social media posters will be eager to see their communications as something different and not under the jurisdiction of regulators.