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 ]
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Other news stories related to: "Sponcon Disclosure Lessons from Teen Vogue’s Facebook Article Controversy"


Facebook, Snapchat Deals Produce Meager Results for News Outlets

Newspapers and other media outlets are struggling to make money from their partnerships with tech giants like Facebook and Snapchat, raising concerns over their business models in a news landscape increasingly dominated by social media platforms.Some publishers are scaling back on Facebook... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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S&S moves to reassure authors after Milo Yiannopoulos controversy

Simon & Schuster’s US chief executive Carolyn Reidy has moved to reassure authors that the publisher will not “support, condone” or publish “hate speech” following the Milo Yiannopoulos controversy. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Content mills test whether false domains boost Facebook traffic

When posting on Facebook, several content mills use multiple domains for the same article. The websites who use this tactic claim they are A/B testing URL names. But most sources suggested that URL names have no effect on user engagement and that using multiple domains can come off like an... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #user engagement #sources suggested


German publishers keen for more dialogue with Facebook on its fake-news crackdown

Facebook is making it easier for people in Germany to report fake news, but it might not be enough to convince publishers that it's willing to help turn the platform into a distribution channel for serious journalism. Publishers have been keen for more discussion with the platform about how to... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #distribution channel #fake-news crackdown


Facebook stops paying publishers to stream live video

For a while, Facebook was obsessed with live video -- it even paid publishers to make sure there was a steady flow of professionally-shot streams on offer. However, Zuckerberg and company appear to be tempering their enthusiasm a little bit. Recode s... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘It helps build that daily habit’: Publishers use Instant Articles bundle for daily must-reads

Facebook Instant Articles update, allowing publishers to post multiple articles in each post, is a way of replicating daily email newsletters right in Facebook’s platform. Ten publishers, among them BuzzFeed, The Washington Post, The Sun and El País, are testing out the new feature before a... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #ad placements #el pas #daily habit #allowing publishers


Best of the week: Publishers weigh in on mid-roll Facebook ads and earlier start times

A roundup of some of our best stories this week: We spoke with publishers about reports that Facebook will start showing ads in the middle of videos. And we spoke with publishers who insist their reporters get an earlier start to their days. Publishers have also found a way to frack more traffic... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers see short-form video views on Facebook cut in half

Publisher’s short-form Facebook videos have been on the wane after the algorithm has prioritized Facebook Live and the news feed has become flooded with content. Six months ago a well-performing video from The Sun would fetch 250,000 views, now it’s good to get over 100,000. In 2016, The... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Consumers will rebel’: Publishers face creative challenges with Facebook’s mid-roll video ads

Publishers are hopeful about the chance to finally turn their Facebook videos into a revenue stream, but creative challenges await them. Ads could bring a welcome source of revenue, but videos will have to be edited with breaks in mind. And most online video that's out there now isn't good... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Says Its Network Now Serves Ads to Washington Post, Rolling Stone and 1 Billion People a Month

Facebook is bringing new publishers into its ad network, including Washington Post, Wenner Media and Univision, and the social network now claims to reach a billion people a month outside its own walls.On Thursday, Facebook announced the updated roster to Audience Network, which has become its... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Finally Admits It's A Giant Media Company—Almost

The social network has long resisted the "media" label. But with its new Journalism Project, it just took a big step in that direction. The social network has long resisted the "media" label. But with its new Journalism Project, it just took a big step in that... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2017-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook really, really wants to work with journalists

In recent months, a lot of ink was spilled to criticize Facebook’s role in the dissemination of news, especially related to the past U.S. presidential election. On Wednesday, the company announced a new suite of initiatives aimed at improving its collaboration with journalists and media... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2017-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Aims to Promote Better Journalism, Fight Hoaxes and Work With Local News Outlets

In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook laid out a fairly elaborate plan to promote better media reporting and consumption. Called the Facebook Journalism Project, it includes a local news initiative, new storytelling formats and fighting hoaxes, among other items. With the current debate about... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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All cheese, all the time: Business Insider’s ‘slightly niche’ approach to Facebook

Insider, Business Insider’s lifestyle site, has spun off a dozen Facebook pages, including home, art, dessert, beauty -- and even cheese. "People will follow this page because they love cheese," Insider editor in chief Nicholas Carlson said. "And they know exactly what they’re going to get from... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2017-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Is Testing Out Mid-Roll Ads to Further Boost Its Video Revenues

Look out, YouTube. Facebook is trialing mid-roll ads for videos that are viewed for at least 20 seconds, according to a report today by Recode, which cited unnamed industry sources. The digital giant declined to comment on the report.  Simply put, Facebook wants to generate cash from the clips... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2017-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook hires former news anchor to help its relationships with media outlets

Facebook has hired former NBC and CNN anchor Campbell Brown to help with its ties to news outlets, which has been a point of friction. Brown will be the Menlo Park company’s head of news partnerships, she wrote in a Facebook post on Friday. “I will be working directly with our partners to help... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2017-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Considerable' school interest in controversial gender book, publisher says

Jessica Kingsley Publishers (JKP) has ordered 5,000 copies of a book about gender diversity for schools, despite a media backlash over its subject matter. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hour-Long Torture on Facebook Live Could Chill Brands' Appetite for New Platform

The appearance of what appeared to be an hour-long torture video on Facebook Live could undermine efforts to get more brands and publishers to try out the feature.On Wednesday, Chicago police confirmed that they were investigating a disturbing assault that was livestreamed on Facebook's video... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2017-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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S&S UK will not publish controversial Milo Yiannopoulos

Simon & Schuster UK will not join its US counterpart in publishing a book by controversial right-wing figure Milo Yiannopoulos. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-01-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Milo Yiannopoulos Book Sparks Freedom of Speech Controversy

The ideas in Simon & Schuster's forthcoming Milo Yiannopoulos book may not be popular in the community, but does that mean he shouldn't be published? The post Milo Yiannopoulos Book Sparks Freedom of Speech Controversy appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-01-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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