Do’s And Don’ts For Dot-Com Ads

Internet and mobile advertising is subject to the same rules as anything else, the Federal Trade Commission recently assured us in a detailed 53-page booklet.

To be fair, online advertising is subject to ordinary advertising rules. But there are always twists to how ordinary rules are applied online. The new FTC booklet, ".com Disclosures," focuses on those online twists.

Anyone involved in online ad clearance ought to read this document carefully. The booklet is even designed the way the FTC wants online ads to be designed – with plain language text, clear headings, useful hyperlinks, and conspicuous disclaimers.

Here are a few of the key points:

• Important limitations on ad claims — including many cost, health, and safety disclosures — should be incorporated into the ad terms, not made in separate disclosures.