The Regulation Horizon: How to Use Short-Form Video without Tripping Disclosure Rules

Short-form video is fast becoming a core part of corporate communication. Executives, investors, and media audiences all consume it daily. But for listed companies, speed and visibility bring new questions: Where’s the line between effective storytelling and regulatory risk?

In this article, we explore what disclosure rules mean in practice, what can go wrong, and how to use short-form video safely — while still reaping its enormous benefits.

Why this matters now

For years, corporate disclosure meant a press release, a PDF, and maybe a webcast. Today, the same story might also appear as a 30-second CEO clip on LinkedIn or a short animation breaking down quarterly results.

That evolution is great for reach — but regulators haven’t gone away. Whether it’s the FCA and LSE in the UK, SEC and Reg FD in the US, CSA in Canada, or ASX’s continuous disclosure regime in Australia, all share one expectation: material information must be released to everyone at the same time and must not mislead.

Short-form video doesn’t change that. It simply means you need the same discipline in a faster medium.

The core risks to manage

1. Premature disclosure
2. A video published or teased before an official announcement can trigger an unintentional market release. Even a “coming soon” post hinting at new partnerships can raise questions if not cleared through the same internal channels as an RNS, 8-K, or ASX announcement.
3. Selective disclosure
4. Posting on a platform where only some investors or journalists are likely to see it — or sending clips directly to key contacts — can breach equal-access principles.
5. Forward-looking statements
6. Videos are conversational by nature. It’s easy for a CEO to slip into “we’re confident this will drive X % growth.” That’s fine — if clearly identified as a forward-looking statement and backed by your usual cautionary language.
7. Editing risk
8. Cutting long interviews into shorts can change meaning or remove context. Every edited version needs a separate review pass, especially if automation or AI is used in production.

A compliant video workflow that works

You don’t need to slow down — you need structure. The key is to mirror your existing disclosure process inside your content workflow:

1. Central trigger: Start each project from a formally approved communication — a results release, an ESG report, a presentation, or an RNS. Nothing should go live before that trigger.

2. Script alignment: Draft video scripts from the approved text, not the other way around. That way, all facts, figures, and phrasings trace back to an authorised disclosure.

3. Legal checkpoint: Include Legal or Compliance in the review of final scripts and subtitles — they’re your safeguard against accidental forward-looking statements or missing disclaimers.

4. Version control: Keep records of every version published, with timestamps and who approved them. That audit trail is invaluable if questions ever arise.

5. Platform-by-platform release: Schedule social posts to go live after the official announcement crosses the wire, not before. That includes thumbnails and “tune in later” teasers.

6. Monitor reactions: Investors and journalists can interpret tone as information. Watching early engagement helps you correct or clarify if a message is being misunderstood.

Regional nuance

• UK & EU: Follow Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) and FCA disclosure guidance. “Reasonable investor” language matters — any content likely to influence investment decisions must be treated as material.
• US: Regulation FD prohibits selective disclosure. Ensure any video content is publicly available at the same time as other channels.
• Canada: CSA National Policy 51-201 echoes Reg FD; simultaneous access is key.
• Australia: ASX Listing Rule 3.1 mandates immediate disclosure of market-sensitive information. Avoid commentary that could imply undisclosed developments.
  

Across all markets, tone and timing are what trip companies up most often — not malice, but momentum.

AI and automation: use, don’t delegate

AI tools can cut, caption, and re-format content faster than ever. They’re excellent for productivity, but they don’t understand nuance, legal exposure, or reputational tone.

Use AI for efficiency — not editorial judgement. Human review remains non-negotiable.

At CorpCast, our process uses AI to accelerate post-production, but every edit still passes through a compliance-trained human editor and a client-side approval stage. It’s speed with governance, not speed instead of governance.

The opportunity hiding behind compliance

Handled properly, regulation isn’t a brake — it’s your credibility advantage.

Investors trust disciplined communicators. When they see that your social videos match your official disclosures word-for-word, they read your content as reliable, not risky.

Short-form video, delivered compliantly, builds brand equity, reinforces consistency, and ensures the right narrative travels further.

A simple pre-post checklist

Before any corporate video goes live, confirm:

• ✅ The underlying announcement or report is already public
• ✅ All facts and figures match the approved source
• ✅ Forward-looking statements are identified and caveated
• ✅ Legal/Compliance have signed off the final cut
• ✅ Timing aligns with official release channels
• ✅ Copies and approvals are archived for audit
  

If all six boxes are ticked, you’re good to go.

Final thought

Video is no longer optional for listed companies — it’s how audiences expect to learn. The question isn’t “can we?” but “how do we do it responsibly?”

By embedding compliance discipline into your creative workflow, you can communicate faster, with confidence, and without crossing lines.

That’s where partners like CorpCast come in — teams who understand both the storytelling and the scrutiny.

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