After recent concerns over misleading
native advertising efforts in online editorial content, the FTC
puts a spotlight on search engines.
On Tuesday, June 25, the FTC sent out more than two dozen
letters to various search engine companies, pushing them to clearly
distinguish between paid advertising content and natural Internet
search results. After noticing a decline in compliance with its
search engine advertising disclosure letter issued
back in 2002, the FTC sent out these letters as part of its
overall effort to improve digital advertising disclosures.
In the letters, the agency advised search engine companies to
improve the clarity and prominence of advertising disclosures by
increasing visual cues (such as more prominent shading and borders)
and text labels (such as using more prominent fonts and placements
of advertising disclosures) for paid search content. The FTC
also noted that its guidance applies to other platforms as well,
such as social media
