Overview:
The primary aim of these policies is to offer guidance on permissible advertising content across today’s headline digital platforms and today’s headline Intelligence (“today headline Properties”). These policies ensure compliance with legal standards and contribute to a secure and positive user experience. While designed to dictate acceptable advertisements, each ad undergoes individual evaluation based on its impact on today headline brand, allowing rejection even if it doesn’t technically breach policy.
Prohibited Content Guidelines
today headline maintains stringent policies to ensure a positive and secure environment for users. The following categories of content are strictly prohibited:
1. Adult Content
Advertising featuring suggestive or explicit content, references to sex, or adult products/services is strictly prohibited.
2. Counterfeit Goods
Advertisements for counterfeit goods, replicas, or imitations of designer products are not accepted.
3. Dangerous Products or Services
Prohibited ads include those promoting guns, firearms, explosives, and content offering guidance on the assembly or acquisition of explosive items.
4. Discriminatory Rules
Hate content, discrimination based on race, gender, or other characteristics is strictly prohibited.
5. Enabling Dishonest Behavior
Advertisements for downloadable utilities, products bypassing copyright protection, and services from non-accredited universities are not permitted.
6. False or Misleading Claims
False or misleading claims about product attributes, health, unrealistic results, and collecting donations under false pretenses are not allowed.
7. Financial Services
Some cryptocurrency advertising is restricted, including ICOs, DeFi trading protocols, and offers to purchase, sell, or trade cryptocurrencies.
8. Inappropriate Content
Ads promoting violence, crime, obscenity, or containing defamatory language, personal attacks, or offensive content are not allowed.
9. Litigation
Solicitations for lawsuits, including class action lawsuits, are prohibited.
10. Recreational Drugs
Advertising for legally restricted, controlled, or illegal drug products, services, paraphernalia, and depictions of hard drug use are not accepted.
11. Religion
References to or advocacy for/against religious views are prohibited, with exceptions for content related to astrology or non-denominational spirituality.
12. Sensationalism
Ads with sensationalistic content or attempts to attract users through hyperbolic language or imagery are not allowed.
today headline retains the right to update these policies, and advertisers are accountable for compliance with the most recent guidelines.
Content Subject to Further Review
The following advertising or sponsored content may be published on today headline Properties, but with certain limitations due to legal, regulatory, and branding concerns.
Astrology / Occult / Paranormal
✔ Astrology and horoscopes
✔ Psychics and fortune telling
✔ Occult and paranormal
✔ Astrology and esoteric
Including zodiac, horoscopes, love spells, potions, and psychic-related ads
✘ References to, or advocacy for or against, religious views
Beauty and Cosmetic Procedures
✔ Body art
✔ Cosmetic procedures and body modification
✔ Plastic surgery
✔ Warts removal
CBD
✔ CBD and products ancillary or related to CBD, such as apps and accessories
CBD ads will be considered on a case-by-case basis
Advertising for topical CBD products is subject to the following restrictions:
Advertisers must be licensed by the appropriate authorities
Advisory: Only non-ingestible, legally derived CBD topical products may be promoted
Advertisers may only target jurisdictions in which they are licensed to promote these products or services online
Advertisers are responsible for complying with all laws and regulations
✘ Advertising may not state or imply that CBD products are drugs, or are intended to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease or medical condition
✘ CBD ads must not be targeted to children or minors
Dating
✔ Advertising from mainstream online dating advertisers
✘ Advertising promoting casual sex
Environmental Claims
✔ Advertising with environmental claims, provided they comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims
Any express or implied claims regarding an environmental attribute must possess a reasonable basis
Claims such as environmentally friendly, eco-friendly, ozone safe/ozone friendly, green, recyclable, non-toxic, biodegradable, sustainable, and compostable will be considered on a case-by-case basis
Claims regarding a company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts will be considered on a case-by-case basis
Financial Services
✔ Advertising for financial services not on the prohibited content list[4], but subject to review on a case-by-case basis, including:
- Money-making opportunities or offers
Offers to share lucrative business secrets with consumers, multi-level marketing, work from home offers, and online surveys
- ✔ Advertising for banking services, brokerage services, loan products and services, and similar services or investments, provided all appropriate disclosures are made
Whenever advertising includes prior investment results, a disclaimer stating “Past results are not indicative of future performance” should be included
Online investment services must disclose material restrictions unique to their product or service
✘ Predictions about future investment results are not permitted
Financial Services > Cryptocurrency
✔ Advertising for cryptocurrency exchanges, e.g., Coinbase
✘ Advertising for actual cryptocurrency, digital securities, and fungible digital tokens is not permitted
✔ Advertising for ancillary products/services, e.g., trading apps, as long as the content in the ad is not promoting particular content
✔ Advertising for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other digital assets that can be purchased with cryptocurrency, digital tokens, or fiat currency where the NFT or other digital asset is not a security, such as investments in a painting or sculpture
✔ Advertising that mentions blockchain, provided there is no mention of ICOs or other content on the prohibited content list[5]
Gambling and Gaming
✔ Online games and puzzles
✔ Video games
✔ Advertising promoting lawful offline gambling and physical, real-money gambling activity or establishments, including:
- “Brick and mortar casinos” in Las Vegas or Macau
- Entertainment events at casinos
Streaming of offline events such as poker tournaments
- ✔ Advertising promoting lawful internet-based games where money or other items of value are paid or wagered in exchange for the opportunity to win real money or prizes based on the outcome of the game, including:
- Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports, state-run lotteries, online casinos, online chess tournaments, or video games played for money or prizes
! The advertising of legalized betting should include a disclaimer stating “Void where prohibited” and gambling responsibly messaging
! Advertisers must have controls in place in those states that prohibit paid entry to prevent those present within those states from participating
! Advertisers are responsible for complying with applicable state, federal, and FTC gaming and gambling regulations
! Advertisements for any publication, “tip sheet,” electronic or mechanical device, application, or other product or service whose primary purpose is the giving of odds or promotion of betting will be considered on a case-by-case basis
✘ Advertising for gambling must not be directed to children or minors
Healthcare
✔ Prescription medication approved by the FDA for distribution
! Advertising must comply with applicable FDA regulations
! Advertising must advise consumers to consult a healthcare professional or call their doctor and clearly state that the advertised product is available by prescription only
! Advertising for online prescription websites will be considered on a case-by-case basis
✘ Advertising offering prescription drugs without a prescription is not permitted
✘ Claims that a product is a panacea or cure-all are not permitted
✔ Over-the-counter (OTC) medications
! Advertising for OTC medications can only promote occasional use and treatment of minor to moderate conditions
! Advertising must advise consumers to follow label directions
! Advertising should be confined to those symptoms and conditions for which the product is indicated
! Claims must be consistent with the product’s indications, directions, and warnings
✔ Dietary supplements
! Claims for dietary supplements must comply with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)
! DSHEA does not permit claims that a dietary supplement can treat, cure, or prevent any disease, but does permit “structure/function” claims
! Advertising for dietary supplements must generally carry the following (or similar) disclaimer required by DSHEA: “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease”
✔ Weight loss and weight loss products
! Advertising must comply with established nutritional evidence and medical opinion
! Demonstrated weight loss not typical must be clearly disclosed
✘ Weight-loss advertising must neither be directed to minors nor depict minors using the product or service
✔ Medical devices
! Advertising must comply with applicable FDA regulations
✔ Hospitals and treatment centers
✔ Telemedicine platforms
! Must operate legally and comply with applicable FDA and state laws and regulations
✔ Online diagnosis websites
! Advertising for diagnosis websites will be considered on a case-by-case basis
Political Content
✔ Political and PAC ads supporting candidates and issues
! As with our political editorial coverage, we strive to remain impartial, so accepting political ads as a category means accepting ads for competing candidates
! Accepting such ads does not mean that we are endorsing the candidates or the political positions those ads support
Sexual and Reproductive Health
✔ Advertising that includes sexual function, fertility, and birth control
✔ Advertising for products, services, and information related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and abortion, including clinics and medication
Sweepstakes and Contests
✔ Sweepstakes and contests
! Advertising for sweepstakes, contests, and other similar promotions will be considered on a case-by-case basis
! Complete details, including the final official rules, must be submitted
! Advertisers are responsible for all aspects of the promotion
Today headline retains the right to update these policies, and advertisers are accountable for compliance with the most recent guidelines.
[Today Headline ] Advertising Policies – Effective [02/02/2024]