The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has clarified rules for ads delivered through social media or mobile devices, emphasizing that they must abide by the same requirements that apply to newspaper and television messages, Advertising Age reports.
As such, they need to provide clear disclosures, with the full cost of a product or service presented before a purchase is made. Presenting hyperlinks that state “disclaimer” or “more information” are inadequate.
“Advertisers are responsible for ensuring that their messages are truthful and not deceptive,” the agency said in its updated guidelines, adding that it would take action against companies that violate consumer protection laws.
FTC Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen, who explained that technology prompted the agency to take action, announced: “Our new guidelines focus on two trends: One, the movement toward advertising seen on small screens and how you make disclosures useful, clear, and conspicuous to consumers…and two, the use of social media for marketing.” (NACS: www.nacsonline.com)
