Where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard.

BBB National Programs is where companies, industry experts, and trade associations work together within a self-regulatory environment to foster industry best practices in truth-in-advertising, child-directed marketing, data privacy, and dispute resolution.

Advertising

Promoting responsible advertising through self-regulation, monitoring, and dispute resolution. Explore programs

Privacy

Helping businesses navigate privacy issues through self-regulation, monitoring, and safe harbors. Explore programs

Dispute Resolution

Providing solutions and support for dispute resolution programs and compliance needs. Explore programs

Emerging

Developing innovative programs to address business needs in an evolving marketplace. Explore programs

Home to leading independent programs.

We offer a variety of independent, third-party programs to guide, aid, and address issues of business ethics, advertising, data privacy, and dispute resolution.
BBB National Programs

Newsroom


Insights from the CEO

How Will Customers Know They Can Trust Your Business?

Read in Forbes

 

Read more CEO Insights

 

 

 

 

BBB National Programs in the News

 

After Chevron: What To Expect In Consumer Protection At FTC

Law360 (Paywall)
Mary Engle, executive vice president of policy at BBB National Programs outlines the impact of
the U.S. Supreme Court overturning a decades-old precedent, known as Chevron deference, on rulemaking and litigation across practice areas.  


In Online Advertising Arena, Artificial Intelligence Aids And Abets Fake Reviews, False Claims

HBW Insight 
AI has a place in the FTC's proposed rule to ban fake consumer reviews and testimonials in online advertising in the US for a reason, one that Mary Engle, executive vice president of policy at BBB National Programs acknowledges.


It's Not Easy Being Green: Preparing for the FTC's Updated Green Guides

AdWeek 
Laura Brett, vice president of the National Advertising Division outlines the importance of clear and truthful green advertising, how companies can help build consumer trust in green claims, and the 2024 release of the updated Green Guides.


Regulators Have Their Eye On The Dark Art Of Dark Patterns

AdExchanger 
Mary Engle, executive vice president of policy at BBB National Programs discusses the trend of state privacy laws calling out dark patterns as an unlawful data privacy practice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

50 Years of Advancing Responsible Child-Directed Marketing & Privacy

 

For the last 50 years, companies marketing to children have held each other to a higher standard. In 1974, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) was established as the U.S. mechanism of independent self-regulation for protecting children under age 13 from deceptive or inappropriate advertising.

 

 

 

Latest Announcements

Press Release

BBB National Programs Board of Directors Elects New Board Vice Chair and Re-Elects Five Board Members

McLean, VA – December 16, 2024 – The Board of Directors of BBB National Programs today announced the election of a new Board Vice Chair and the reelection of five board members for the 2024–2027 term. BBB National Programs is the home of industry self-regulation in the U.S.

Read the Press Release
Press Release

BBB National Programs Appoints Leadership for National Partners and Business Development, and its Center for Industry Self-Regulation

McLean, VA – December 11, 2024 – Eric D. Reicin, CEO of BBB National Programs today announced two leadership appointments to further strengthen its industry self-regulation initiatives. Howard Smith as Executive Director of BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation (CISR) and Vice President,...

Read the Press Release
Press Release

John Templeton Foundation Grant Awarded to Center for Industry Self-Regulation to Develop Industry Self-Regulation Curriculum for Law, Business & Public Policy Schools

McLean, VA – September 10, 2024 - BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation today announced that it will develop a curriculum on industry self-regulation for law, business, and public policy school programs, filling a significant gap in current higher...

Read the CISR Release
Press Release

BBB National Programs Appoints Amy Steacy as General Counsel, Promotes New Leaders in Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising and Global Privacy

McLean, VA – June 4, 2024 – BBB National Programs announced the appointment of Amy Steacy as General Counsel. Additional leadership promotions include Daniel Range as Vice President of the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) and Dr. Divya Sridhar as Vice President, Global...

Read the Press Release

Latest Decisions

Decision

Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Recommends Valentus Discontinue Earnings and Product Performance Claims

McLean, VA – December 23, 2024 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) recommended Valentus, a direct selling company that sells nutritional and lifestyle products, discontinue earnings and health-related product performance claims made on social media and on the Valentus website.

Read the Decision Summary
Decision

Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Refers Olive Tree Earnings Claims to the FTC and California AG for Possible Enforcement Action

McLean, VA – December 20, 2024 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) referred Olive Tree to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and California Attorney General's Office for possible enforcement action after Olive Tree failed to respond to a DSSRC inquiry into earnings claims.  

Read the Decision Summary
Decision

Children’s Advertising Review Unit Recommends JustPlay Discontinue or Modify Daisy the Yoga Goat Claims

New York, NY – December 19, 2024 - The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) launched an investigation into advertising for Just Play’s furReal Daisy the Yoga Goat seeking to determine if the toy’s product packaging and commercial advertisements comply with CARU’s Self-Regulatory Guidelines for Children’s Advertising.

Read the Decision Summary
Decision

In National Advertising Division Fast-Track SWIFT Challenge, Oral Essentials Voluntarily Modifies “Made in USA” Claims

New York, NY – December 19, 2024 – In a National Advertising Division challenge, Oral Essentials agreed to permanently modify its claim that certain Oral Essentials oral healthcare products are “Made in USA.” 

Read the Decision Summary

 

For the full text of National Advertising Division, National Advertising Review Board, and Children’s Advertising Review Unit decisions, subscribe to the Online Archive. Other case decisions are available publicly: Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council and Digital Advertising Accountability Program. For members of the press, the full text of any BBB National Programs decision is available by emailing the request to press@bbbnp.org

Upcoming Events

Advertising Law and Privacy Under Trump: What to Expect at Federal & State Level

Join us for risk mitigation advice on real-world advertising challenges in a highly competitive landscape. Speakers will cover a variety of topics including green claims, comparative claims, and how t ...
Learn more
Jan 29, 2025 Washington, D.C.

NAD 2025

The National Advertising Division (NAD) annual conference, NAD 2025 will convene advertising and legal professionals, academic and industry experts, government officials, and businesses of all sizes t ...
Learn more
Sep 16, 2025 Washington, DC

 

 

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