BBB National Programs National Advertising Division Launches Expedited Fast-Track SWIFT Lane Designed to Address Misleading Advertising Disclosures

703-247-9330 / press@bbbnp.org

New York, NY – November 9, 2021 – Mindful of recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) actions, BBB National Programs today announced a new, streamlined lane of the expedited Fast-Track SWIFT challenge submission process, one designed specifically to address the prominence and sufficiency of disclosures in national advertising.

The National Advertising Division (NAD), which in April 2020 launched Fast-Track SWIFT to meet the compelling need for quick resolution of truth and transparency issues that arise in advertising, today enhanced that process to make the challenge of misleading advertising disclosures more efficient. 

This fully online process is intended to streamline and simplify cases to encourage use of Fast-Track SWIFT for influencer marketing, consumer reviews, and dark pattern issues that arise when material information is not disclosed, leading to consumer distrust in advertising. The new lane of Fast-Track SWIFT will use existing procedures but removes the requirement to submit a letter with the challenge (now optional) and reduces the filing fee. 

“With the FTC’s recent focus on endorsements and dark patterns, we know that companies are taking a hard look at their own advertising practices,” said Laura Brett, Vice President, National Advertising Division, BBB National Programs. “Companies should use Fast-Track SWIFT, including this new lane on disclosures, to raise the bar across their industry and restore consumer trust in the online marketplace. Consumers should not have to search for information needed to understand an advertisement.” 

To learn more about the process and how to file a Fast-Track SWIFT challenge, visit bbbprograms.org/NAD-Fast-Track-SWIFT.

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About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs is where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard. The non-profit organization creates a fairer playing field for businesses and a better experience for consumers through the development and delivery of effective third-party accountability and dispute resolution programs. Embracing its role as an independent organization since the restructuring of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in June 2019, BBB National Programs today oversees more than a dozen leading national industry self-regulation programs, and continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-directed marketing, and privacy. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division (NAD), a division of BBB National Programs, provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and leveling the playing field for business.