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 Expands Mobile Ad Net to Make a Run at Google, Yahoo

Facebook's mobile ad network is officially open for business.Five months after the social network formally launched its Audience Network with a small set of app publishers and advertisers, Facebook is opening up the mobile ad network to any media buyer and seller. The company is also adding a... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media buyer #ad unit #drive traffic #mobile sites #sell ads #le monde


Facebook, armed with data, helps others show mobile ads

A “like” on Facebook is worth a lot to advertisers there. Now it’s also worth something to advertisers in other mobile apps.Facebook’s having a coming-out party for its “audience network,” an ad network that lets existing advertisers on Facebook also have their ads placed in a large number of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile apps #audience network #ad network #large number #mobile advertising


Facebook admits it screwed up, but its proposed research guidelines are meaningless

Facebook is no stranger to controversy, nor is the social network unfamiliar with upsetting its users. It seems as though Zuckerberg's baby has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons lately, and it's not all that long since users vented their fury after it was revealed that their... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wrong reasons


9 Lessons Publishers Should Take from Google's Leaked "Search Quality Rating Guidelines"

By D. Eadward Tree Google, the epitome of the internet ventures that have so disrupted the magazine industry, turns out to have a crush on traditional publishers, a recently leaked report reveals. But... Continue reading at Publishing Executive

[ Publishing Executive | 2014-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publishers #eadward tree #magazine industry


Facebook Serves Up User Data to Measure Ads on Others' Sites, Apps

Google was supposed to uproot digital advertising's foundation. But Facebook may beat the search giant to the punch.Confirming what has become advertising's latest worst-kept secret, Facebook said it will begin applying its user data to ads shown outside the social network through a retooled... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ad server #actual ads #demand-side platform #buy ads #real-time auctions #company plans


How Facebook is courting publishers

The social network has built a formidable group of former journalist and publishing execs to forge partnerships with media companies new and old. The post How Facebook is courting publishers appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing execs #media companies


Websites Are Wary of Facebook Tracking Software

Online retailers and publishers are pushing back against Facebook Inc. FB -0.20% 's efforts to track users across the Internet, fearing that the data it vacuums up to target ads will give the social network too much of an edge. Web traffic exp ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online retailers #pushing back #track users #target ads


Brand Publishers Are Ditching Facebook in Favor of Microsites

Brand publishers are more aware that they’re really just renting social media space on Facebook and are moving resources away from the social network. One agency said its clients are pulling away from Facebook in “dramatic numbers”—reallocating their resources to microsites and alternate social... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook's 'books that stayed with you' meme: Here are the top picks

Facebook recently revealed some of the books that users picked most often when participating in a meme about what books 'stayed with you.'  Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #top picks


Facebook tests vanishing posts

The social network is testing a feature that allows users to set their published posts to be deleted at a specific time. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2014-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #published posts


Facebook drops hints that it’s eyeing content recommendation, too

What Facebook's news recommendations feature could mean for publishers, advertisers. The post Facebook drops hints that it’s eyeing content recommendation, too appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Man Booker 'shows contemporary fiction in vogue'

The 2014 Man Booker shortlist shows that “contemporary fiction is of the moment”,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #man booker #contemporary fiction


The 100 Books Facebook Users Love

What titles most shaped the site's readers? Harry Potter, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Lord of the Rings—and the Bible. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2014-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harry potter


How to automate your Facebook and Twitter posts with Buffer

So you've got "a friend" who is a social media addict. They check in to every location, Instagram every meal, even use "hashtag" in conversation. Well, Buffer can help them keep their social media feeds flowing with content without chaining them to a phone or laptop. The way Buffer works is... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #twitter posts #real life


How Facebook plays content gatekeeper

For the Win has had success driving referral traffic from Facebook’s trending topics, a feature that, despite becoming a mainstay on Facebook, remains an afterthought for some self-styled “viral publishers.” The post How Facebook plays content gatekeeper appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trending topics


Why publishers should cheer Facebook’s click-bait crusade

Reducing the click-bait clutter is just the latest in a series of alterations aimed at filtering the news feed for quality. It looks like long-form publishers have something to celebrate. Sponsor content by Parse.ly. The post Why publishers should cheer Facebook’s click-bait crusade appeared... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harlequin TEEN Turns Five

Celebrating its fifth birthday this month, Harlequin TEEN—Harlequin’s dedicated imprint for young adult books—has quite a few things to be excited about. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One weird trick -- Facebook to clear newsfeeds of click-bait headlines

Click-bait articles are rife online. Countless websites ply a trade in leading headlines designed to lure readers in, giving as little away as possible as an encouragement to click through. A virtual prick-tease, if you will. Sometimes the click is worth it, but all too often the article --... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lure readers #magazine websites


Facebook moves to rid its feed of click bait

Facebook will reduce “click-bait” posts of outside links that try to lure users with eye-catching headlines.Headlines such as “You’ll never believe why ...” or “This is the craziest thing ever,” are common on the Internet. Publishers, including marketers, post the links on social sites like... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #social sites #craziest thing #drive traffic #gathering feedback


Facebook’s war on click-bait risks collateral damage

Facebook's attempt to crack down on publisher click-bait might be well-intentioned, but it could incidentally hurt publishers that produce shorter stories. The post Facebook’s war on click-bait risks collateral damage appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post facebook