A new report from IPG Mediabrands calls out Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, in particular, for allowing misinformation to spread.<\/p>\n
But the report from Mediabrands\u2019 Magna research arm, \u201cThe Dis\/Misinformation Challenge for Marketers,\u201d also stresses the advertising community\u2019s need to intervene forcefully to protect brands, as well as the public good.
\nSpecifically, it argues that brands should assess how well each platform aligns with their values, and shift media investments toward platforms that are implementing real, effective steps to stop misinformation and away from those that are not.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf brand values or corporate social responsibility principles do not align with the ability of any given platform to moderate their platform, then serious consideration should be given to whether that platform is appropriate for the brand,\u201d the report states.
\n\u201cMarketers are right to be concerned when they find their advertising near misleading content as, unchecked, it could harm their reputations and the communities they serve,\u201d said Harrison Boys, director standards and investment product EMEA at Magna, an author of the report. \u201cThe industry, which joined forces against online hate speech and supported online privacy, needs to take a stand against misinformation and disinformation today.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report notes, for example, that 85% of U.K. consumers polled by the Trustworthy Accountability Group and Brand Safety Institute said they would reduce or stop buying brands that advertise near misinformation about COVID.<\/p>\n
The authors acknowledge that assessing platforms on the critical dis-\/misinformation factor is difficult, since each has its own complex, and often unclear, policies.<\/p>\n
To assist, the report includes a breakdown of key specifics.
\nFor instance, only LinkedIn, Pinterest and Twitch explicitly prohibit user-generated misinformation in their policies, and only those platforms plus Snapchat and TikTok prohibit disinformation. The other majors \u2014 including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter \u2014 have conditions that allow users to circumvent the goal of stopping mis- and disinformation.<\/p>\n
The authors note that Pinterest has made a \u201cU-turn\u201d on handling misinformation since COVID, now suspending accounts that violate its policy and fact-checking ones with large followings.<\/p>\n
They also describe Reddit as being at a \u201cturning point\u201d in which community moderation is helping to balance misinformation in some subreddits.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, all but three of the 10 platforms analyzed do explicitly prohibit misinformation from advertisers. (TikTok, Twitter and YouTube have \u201cconditional\u201d policies for advertisers.)<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile some platforms have policies on disinformation and misinformation, they are often vague or inconsistent, opening the door to bad actors exploiting platforms in a way that causes real-world harm to society and brands,\u201d said Joshua Lowcock, global chief brand safety officer, U.S. chief digital and information officer at Mediabrands\u2019 UM Worldwide agency, and an author of the report.<\/p>\n