Sponcon Disclosure Lessons from Teen Vogue’s Facebook Article Controversy

As the lines between journalism and advertising become increasingly blurred, media companies must be on high alert for potential pitfalls around the failure to properly disclose sponsored content. The proper characterization of content as commercial advertising, and the proper disclosure of such sponsored content, has drawn the scrutiny of both the Federal Trade Commission and the National Advertising Division in recent years. Teen Vogue’s equivocation on whether an uncritical article on Facebook’s role in the 2020 election amounted to sponsored content provides many lessons from which other media companies should learn. Earlier today, Teen Vogue published an article titled, “How Facebook Is Helping Ensure the Integrity of the 2020 Election.” The Twitterverse was set abuzz, because it seemed to be overly laudatory of Facebook and did not contain any critical questioning.  Commentators found the questions posed and the tone of the article surprising in light of Facebook’s role in the 2016 election and its recent public pronouncement regarding its approach in 2020. “Interesting pivot for Teen Vogue here to… Facebook PR?” tweeted Steven Perlberg, a freelance writer formerly with BuzzfFeed News and The Wall Street Journal, while Molly Jong-Fast of The Daily Beast described the article as “so sketchy.” Approximately an hour after it was posted, Teen Vogue added a prominent disclosure below the headline, stating, “Editor’s note: This is sponsored editorial content.” In a... Continue reading at 'Folio Magazine'

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-01-09 00:40:34 UTC ]
News tagged with: #clear message #digital age

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Facebook building in Menlo Park cleared after bomb threat

A bomb threat forced the evacuation Tuesday afternoon of a building on Facebook’s campus in Menlo Park, Calif., authorities said. Bomb detection dogs searched the building at 200 Jefferson Drive and found no suspicious packages or devices, the Menlo Park Police Department said. The incident began... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bomb threat #menlo park


Viral publisher First Media joins Snapchat with repurposed Facebook video

First Media decided to join Snapchat after the platform no longer required publishers to share only exclusive content. The post Viral publisher First Media joins Snapchat with repurposed Facebook video appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2018-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #viral publisher #exclusive content


It's Time the Book Business Took Music Lessons

What can book publishers learn from the music industry? A lot, says Digital Perspectives columnist Bill Rosenblatt. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book business #music industry


Facebook e-mails reveal Zuckerberg deliberations on user data

Facebook is being accused by U.K. lawmakers of offering access to its users and their data based on the amount of money a prospective partner would spend, following the latest document dump painting its leadership team in a potentially unflattering light.On Wednesday, British lawmaker Damian... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #offering access #user data #leadership team #internal emails #including correspondence


Facebook defends Mark Zuckerberg's exposed emails

The social network publishes a detailed rebuttal of some of the claims made against it. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2018-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook’s Elliot Schrage defends using D.C. firm to research George Soros

Facebook hired Definers Public Affairs to expose links between anti-Facebook groups and billionaire George Soros. Facebook’s head of PR Elliot Schrage defended his company’s decision to use a Washington, D.C., firm with GOP ties to dig for dirt on Facebook critics and opponents. Facebook’s use... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2018-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook is huge, it’s monstrous, it’s addictive and it must be stopped | First Dog on the Moon

We know that Facebook is terrible and we shouldn’t be on it but that’s how these things workSign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are publishedGet all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints Continue reading... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dog cartoons #dog shop #dog merchandise


Sheryl Sandberg asked Facebook staff to investigate George Soros' finances

Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook Inc., told employees to investigate the financial interests of billionaire George Soros in response to his January criticism of the social media giant. Sandberg wanted to know if Soros had a financial incentive to criticize Facebook, the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #criticize facebook #sheryl sandberg #told employees


Sheryl Sandberg asked Facebook staff to 'look into' Soros investments

It has been about two weeks since the New York Times published an exposé on Facebook's response to bad press and protests against it over the last couple of years. Since then, an outgoing exec took responsibility for hiring a PR firm, Definers... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2018-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bad press #pr firm


Facebook exempts news publishers from its archive on political ads

Facebook says it will stop including some publishers' advertising in its political ad archive following months of criticism from news organizations.Next year the social media giant will no longer require publishers who want to buy ads boosting exposure to their articles on politics to go through... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #political ads #news organizations


Outgoing Facebook Employee Slams Company for Treatment of Black Employees and Users

A former manager at Facebook published a scathing memo on Tuesday criticizing the social media giant for its treatment of its black users and its black employees. Mark Luckie, a former partner manager for global influencers at Facebook who focused on underrepresented voices, wrote in a memo to... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2018-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black users #facebook published #black employees #underrepresented voices


Facebook has 'black people problem,' ex-employee says

As Facebook defends its handling of Russian political interference, an ex-employee published another scathing critique of the company's culture. Facebook "has a black people problem," Mark S. Luckie wrote in a lengthy internal memo circulated earlier this month and made public on Facebook... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black employees #scathing critique #made public #black users #black people


Facebook employees blame Sheryl Sandberg for company's downfall

When Facebook was growing quickly and its shares were soaring, Sandberg was lauded for her leadership and meticulous management of relationships. After writing the 2013 book "Lean In," which advocated for women in the workplace, she became the most famous female executive in America.But this... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #privacy breaches #largely responsible #late july #brian wieser


Abrams Cancels Controversial 'Suicide Bomber' Graphic Novel

Abrams will cancel the planned May 2019 publication of a graphic novel on its ComicsArts list, 'A Suicide Bomber Sits in the Library,' following criticism on social media and elsewhere. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors criticise YouTube's rallying cry against Article 13

The Society of Authors (SoA) and a number of writers have criticised YouTube for emailing its users saying Article 13 would prevent them from uploading videos onto online platforms. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rallying cry #authors soa #online platforms


4th Estate snaps up Vogue columnist's 'irreverent take on modern life'

4th Estate will publish the debut non-fiction title, Raven Smith’s Trivial Pursuits, described as “a smart and irreverent take on modern life” from the Vogue columnist’s perspective. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #modern life #4th estate


Glamour's goodbye to print, DDB's big win and Facebook's ad issues: Wednesday Wake-Up Call

Welcome to Ad Age's Wake-Up Call, our daily roundup of advertising, marketing, media and digital news. You can get an audio version of this briefing on your Alexa device. Search for "Ad Age" under "Skills" in the Alexa app.What people are talking about todayGlamour, long a mainstay in Cond... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #audio version #alexa device #alexa app #magazine business


Do you work for Facebook? What is the mood like?

We would like to hear from Facebook workers following allegations published last week in the New York TimesMark Zuckerberg has defended his leadership of Facebook, claiming ignorance of the company’s relationship with a PR firm that linked its critics with George Soros. Related: Facebook... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pr firm


Facebook removed over 1.5 billion fake accounts in the last six months

It's been less than a day since the New York Times published a brutal report about the state of affairs at Facebook, including a deep look at the company's failure to properly identify and deal with fake news and Russian interference. The company alr... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2018-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #facebook removed #fake news #russian interference


Facebook shutters ad tech services as it stumbles in quest to topple TV

Facebook's plans to topple TV advertising have come to a halt as it shut down key programs that delivered commercials to TV networks and publishers online.Ads are no longer being served to connected TV devices like smart TVs, Apple TV and Roku, the company confirmed. The reason, according to... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #company confirmed #worked closely #high prices #losing money #small number #wider world