It’s been 11 years since the Federal Trade Commission issued guidelines for online advertising, which by today’s standards makes them practically ancient.
The agency today announced it plans to update its 2000 guidelines, “Dot Com Disclosures: Information About Online Advertising,” and is seeking public input on a few key questions.
The original guidelines stressed that the same consumer protection laws that apply to commercial activities in other media apply online, and that any disclosures required to prevent an advertisement from being misleading must be clear and conspicuous.
Now, the FTC is asking what issues have been raised by online technologies since the guidelines were issued that should be addressed in a revised document.
“Mobile marketing has become a reality, the ‘App’ economy has emerged, the use of ‘pop-up blockers’ has become widespread, and online social networking has emerged and grown popular,” the FTC stated in the announcement. “In seeking public comment on possible revisions to the guidance document, the staff is interested in the technical and legal issues that marketers, consumer advocates, and others believe should be addressed.”