Sep 23, 2021, 09:00 AM by Rashida Gordon, Analyst, Children’s Advertising Review Unit

Children can access on a variety of platforms and devices. Some of this content is organic and some is advertising. It can be difficult, or even impossible, for children to know the difference between the two. That’s why it’s essential to disclose to children – in language they can understand – when an influencer is advertising the featured product. If you have a role in influencer marketing to children, here are some key revisions to the CARU Guidelines that you should know.

Sep 21, 2021, 09:00 AM by Eric D. Reicin, President & CEO, BBB National Programs

Although advertising’s platforms, technology, and techniques have changed dramatically, the system of independent industry self-regulation has sustained, and thrived, proving itself as an adaptable model to evolving business environments. Today, that model of responsible businesses allowing themselves to be held publicly accountable by independent self-regulation is timelier than ever.

Sep 16, 2021, 09:00 AM by Katherine Armstrong, Deputy Director, National Advertising Division, BBB National Programs

The 2000s was a decade of change as online advertising exploded and, as a harbinger of things to come, the online environment became fertile ground for innovative ways to both communicate with consumers or, for the unscrupulous, take advantage of unwary consumers. The low barriers to entry allowed disrupters to enter the digital space and forced traditional marketers to compete in this space or be left behind.

Sep 14, 2021, 09:00 AM by Cameryn Gonnella, Compliance Manager, Children’s Advertising Review Unit

The CARU Advertising Guidelines are widely recognized industry standards that help ensure advertising directed to children is fair and appropriate for its intended audience across any form of child-directed media. The CARU team outlines some key revisions to the Guidelines to which mobile developers should pay heed.

Aug 25, 2021, 08:53 AM by Josh Harris, Director, Global Privacy Initiatives, BBB National Programs

Cisco is an example of how a global company must navigate a variety of legal privacy regimes, while also being dedicated to leading the way on data privacy to maintain and further enhance a trusted relationship with its customers. To thread this needle, Cisco has chosen to rely on a third-party privacy certification offered by our team at BBB National Programs.

Aug 12, 2021, 09:00 AM by Abby Adams, Senior Counsel, Dispute Resolution Programs, BBB AUTO LINE

If your vehicle is under warranty, lemon laws require your vehicle manufacturer to repair your vehicle. The federal lemon law, known as the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act (“Mag-Moss”), and state lemon laws are in place to protect consumers from getting stuck with “lemons.” It is important to understand the difference between state and federal lemon laws as well as how you and your vehicle are covered under each.

Aug 11, 2021, 09:00 AM by Katherine Armstrong, Deputy Director, National Advertising Division, BBB National Programs

As we continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independent industry self-regulation in the advertising industry by looking at the impact of past decades on advertising law, this month we highlight the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Green Guides, first issued in 1992. The Green Guides were designed to respond to changes in consumer understanding and developments in environmental technology.

Aug 5, 2021, 09:24 AM by Cobun Zweifel-Keegan, Deputy Director, Privacy Initiatives, BBB National Programs

As a responsible business, you have an obligation to properly vet and monitor the privacy practices of your suppliers and vendors. The reason is simple: you could be held legally and financially liable for their improper data protection practices. And while vendor privacy due diligence can be a Herculean task, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Aug 4, 2021, 09:00 AM by Peter Marinello, Vice President, Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council, BBB National Programs

The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) hosted direct selling industry business leaders, legal professionals, advertising experts, and salesforce members at the virtual Direct Selling Summit on July 27. The Summit, an educational event to provide individuals in the direct selling industry with an inside look at how their advertising is monitored, took place following a dynamic year full of marketing challenges for direct selling companies and their independent salesforce members.

Aug 3, 2021, 07:56 AM by The CARU Team

Advertisers should be aware that child-directed marketing and advertising will be reviewed under revised self-regulatory guidelines, to go into effect on January 1, 2022. BBB National Programs Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) last week issued a revised version of the CARU Advertising Guidelines, widely recognized industry standards that assure advertising directed to children is not deceptive, unfair, or inappropriate for its intended audience. These Guidelines were revised to address newer digital and immersive forms of child-directed interactive media more specifically.

Jul 29, 2021, 08:31 AM by Kat Dunnigan, Senior Attorney, National Advertising Division

Advertisers of medical devices face complex tasks when marketing their products. In addition to complying with FDA regulations, medical device advertising is subject to the same truth-in-advertising principles set by the FTC. In addition to express claims, marketers are responsible for all the messages reasonably conveyed to consumers in their advertising and should ask some important questions to ensure consumers are not misled. Ask yourself these questions when advertising medical devices to avoid conveying misleading messages.

Jul 22, 2021, 09:00 AM by Cameryn Gonnella, Compliance Manager, Children’s Advertising Review Unit, BBB National Programs

Researching a new product and finding the critical or in-depth information you are looking for to build confidence in your purchasing decision often requires sifting through superficial lists of “best products.” These lists are often sponsored by the products they feature, which means instead of a focus on being helpful they are full of incentivized endorsements and affiliate links. In this blog, we provide a list – not a sponsored list – of some do’s and don’ts for how to confidently research smart devices.

Jul 15, 2021, 08:00 AM by Eric D. Reicin, President & CEO, BBB National Programs

Recently I wrote about the proliferation of dark patterns and tried to give readers a sense of just how widespread these practices are. But it is not just the pervasiveness of dark patterns that has lawmakers and regulators concerned, it is the intent behind them and their impact on consumers. Nonprofit leaders, in particular, should be aware of this and how to guard against it given that they are well-positioned to garner and enhance consumer trust.

Jul 14, 2021, 09:00 AM by Katherine Armstrong, Deputy Director, National Advertising Division

As we continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Advertising Division (NAD) we are looking forward while taking stock of past decades, with a special focus on decisions and developments that continue to impact advertising law and NAD cases today. This month we highlight two pivotal moments from the 1980’s that helped shape NAD’s jurisprudence.

Jun 24, 2021, 09:00 AM by Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) Team

In a world where ads are woven seamlessly into online content, advertising and data collection practices become more complex, especially in the children’s space. On June 8 and 9, 2021, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) virtually convened experts in children’s advertising, privacy, influencers, gaming, ed tech, and state and federal regulations around the globe for our annual conference, CARU 2021 to discuss challenges, best practices, and the year ahead.

Jun 24, 2021, 09:00 AM by Bryant Fry, Deputy Director, Privacy Initiatives - Operations

No matter the size of your business, making data privacy a priority is a key component of maintaining the trust of your customers, investors, and the public at large. To assist businesses in complying with the proliferation of different privacy laws, privacy technology platforms have grown exponentially. These tools are critical, however deploying the right privacy tech solutions can only get you part of the way in achieving a successful compliance strategy. The next step? Demonstrate to your stakeholders your business’ accountability – and commitment – to its privacy policies and practices.

Jun 23, 2021, 09:00 AM by Kat Dunnigan, Senior Attorney, National Advertising Division

Product reviews should be what they appear to be—authentic reviews that reflect the range of reactions and actual opinions of consumers. If an advertiser does not include all reviews for a product in its advertising, only cherry picking or collecting the positive reviews, then the reviews are being used as testimonials and trigger the need for independent substantiation of any claims made in those reviews. These best practices explain how to use truth-in-advertising principles to the use of reviews and testimonials, and provide guidance for brands looking to use product reviews in their advertising without conveying a misleading message.

Jun 16, 2021, 09:18 AM by Katherine Armstrong, Deputy Director, National Advertising Division

In NAD’s first decade (the 1970s), the industry experienced two pivotal legal developments that continue to impact advertising law and NAD cases today. Many advertisers are familiar with “the Pfizer factors,” but most would probably say they do not know much about the facts of the case that created them. And when it comes to comparative advertising, can you identify the FTC document that sent a strong message about the value of truthful comparative advertising?

Jun 15, 2021, 10:51 AM by Cobun Zweifel-Keegan, Deputy Director, Privacy Initiatives

Despite what you may hear about global privacy laws, exceeding minimum standards with a unified privacy program is feasible for most businesses. While there is not one common global data privacy law, there are standard privacy practices common across jurisdictions. This idea can be summed up in one word: interoperability. Standard data privacy practices, when properly documented and certified, are recognized as a baseline around the world.

Jun 9, 2021, 09:00 AM by Abby Adams, Senior Counsel, Dispute Resolution Programs, BBB AUTO LINE

The term “warranty” is common and can be applied to many different things – the purchase of a house, a new piece of technology, or a vehicle. Though a familiar term, what a warranty is and does is not always known beyond the general “it protects my purchase.” A warranty is a contract between the “purchaser” of a product, often called the “consumer,” and the “seller” of that product, usually a business.