Advertising Policies

 

Last updated on February 27, 2023

Overview

The purpose of these policies is to provide guidance on the types of advertising content that are allowed on Insider’s websites and other digital properties, including Insider, Business Insider, Insider Markets and Insider Intelligence (“Insider Properties”). These policies are designed to not only abide by laws, but to also ensure a safe and positive experience for our users. While these policies are meant to guide decisions on which advertisements are acceptable, each ad will be judged individually on how it impacts Insider’s brand, and therefore can be denied even if the ad does not technically qualify as prohibited content or content subject to further review. The Business Standards Board sets all policies with the following considerations: legality, brand reputation, and experience for our users. Insider reserves the right to accept or reject at any time advertising for any product or service submitted for publication and to remove advertising that has been posted.

Prohibited Content

The following advertising or sponsored content cannot be published on Insider Properties due to legal, regulatory, and branding concerns. The content itself may be illegal or the advertising of that type of content may be illegal.

  • Adult Content

    • ✘ Edgy or bizarre

    • ✘ References to sex

      • Ads that are suggestive, relate to or refer to sex, including adult products and services

  • Counterfeit Goods

    • ✘ Counterfeits and fakes

      • Advertising for counterfeits, fake goods, or bootleg productions, including replicas or imitations of designer products

      • Counterfeit goods are goods, including digital goods, that are promoted, sold, or otherwise distributed using a trademark or brand that is identical to, or substantially similar to, the trademark or brand of another, without authorization from the trademark or brand owner

    • ✘ False or misleading reference to any of the Insider Properties

      • Advertising that uses the name or logo of any of the Insider Properties, or makes any other references to any of the Insider Properties (unless the content was created, published, or approved by Insider)

  • Dangerous Products or Services

    • ✘ Guns and firearms

      • Advertising for guns, firearms, other weapons, or ammunition

    • ✘ Fireworks and other explosives

      • Advertising for products that are designed to explode and could cause damage to people or property

      • Advertising for instructional content about the assembly, enhancement, or acquisition of explosive items

  • Discriminatory Practices

    • ✘ Hate content

    • ✘ Racial, gender, and other discrimination

      • Content that incites (or tends to incite) hatred against, promotes discrimination of, or disparages an individual or group on the basis of their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or any other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization

  • Enabling Dishonest Behavior

    • ✘ Downloadable utilities

      • Advertising for "downloadable utilities" - software for download which is designed to enhance the functionality of an operating system or device, whether desktop or mobile (e.g., anti-virus software, file converters, driver updaters, system cleaners, download managers, disk defragmenters, codecs, browser toolbars, ringtones, screensavers or wallpapers)

    • ✘ Products or services that bypass copyright protection

      • Advertising for products or services that bypass copyright protection, such as software, cable, or satellite signal descramblers

    • ✘ Non-accredited universities or programs

      • Advertising for degrees or transcripts for sale or offered by non-accredited universities or programs, including “life expectancy degrees” and academic paper writing services (e.g.,  sale of pre-written essays, theses, and dissertations)

    • ✘ Products and services of questionable legality

      • Advertising for falsely obtained passwords, pyramid schemes, “get-rich-quick” schemes, products designed to evade speed-enforcement laws, travel to or services to/from countries subject to U.S. embargos or trade sanctions

    • ✘ Advertising that contains spyware, malware, or any software that results in an unexpected or deceptive experience, including links to sites containing these products

    • ✘ Advertising for products or services that enable a user to gain unauthorized access or make unauthorized changes to systems, devices, or property, such as hacking services, stealing cable, radar jammers, changing traffic signals, and phone or wiretapping devices

  • False or Misleading Claims

    • ✘ False or misleading claims relating to the effectiveness or characteristics of a product or service

      • False or misleading claims about product or service attributes, quality, or functionality

    • ✘ Unsubstantiated claims

      • Advertisers are responsible for having adequate substantiation to support the claims in an ad

      • Advertisers may be required to provide substantiation to support the claims in an ad

    • ✘ False or misleading health claims

      • Claims that a product or service can guarantee prevention of, immunity from, treatment of, or a cure for COVID-19

      • Claims of cures for incurable diseases

      • False or misleading claims about vaccines

    • ✘ Claims of unrealistic results within specific timeframes

      • Claims regarding weight loss or financial gain

    • ✘ Collecting donations under false pretenses

    • ✘ “Phishing" or falsely purporting to be a reputable company in order to get users to provide valuable personal or financial information

    • ✘ Making offers that aren't actually available

    • ✘ Omitting or obscuring billing details such as how, what, and when users will be charged

    • ✘ Omitting or obscuring charges associated with financial services such as interest rates, fees, and penalties

  • Financial Services > Some Cryptocurrency Advertising Prohibited

    • ✘ Ads for Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) or ICO pre-sales, unless the ICO has been registered with the SEC or is being offered under an exception

    • ✘ Decentralized Finance (DeFi) trading protocols, including ads to purchase membership in a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)

    • ✘ Offer to purchase, sell, or trade cryptocurrencies

      • Offer to purchase, sell, or trade related products such as binary options, contracts for difference, or any derivative crypto product 

  • Inappropriate Content

    • ✘ Advertising that promotes or displays violence, crime, obscenity, other forms of anti-social behavior, or is otherwise not in good taste

    • ✘ Advertising that contains defamatory, libelous, or threatening content or language

    • ✘ Advertising that contains potentially offensive content or language

    • ✘ Advertising that contains personal attacks, demeaning or inflammatory content, profanity, or vulgarity

  • Litigation

    • ✘ Solicitations for lawsuits, including class action lawsuits

  • Recreational Drugs Generally

    • ✘   We will not accept advertising for legally restricted, controlled or illegal drug products, services, publications, or paraphernalia, including:

      • Cannabis/marijuana (see CBD [1] for exceptions)

      • Unlawful, legally restricted or controlled recreational and herbal drugs

      • Accessories associated with drug use, such as bongs, rolling papers, and vaporized delivery devices

      • Drug dispensaries

      • Depictions of hard drug use

  • Religion

    • ✘ Religion and religious views, events, activity, houses, organizations, etc.

      • References to, or advocacy for or against, religious views

      • NOTE: Content relating to astrology or non-denominational spirituality is permitted  (See Astrology / Occult / Paranormal[2] )

  • Sensationalism

    • ✘ Sensationalistic subjects and content

      • Advertising that attempts to get users to click by appealing to their curiosity, such as using a teaser message with hyperbolic language or imagery, including ads that center around sensationalistic subjects (such as celebrity arrests, deaths, or divorces) or aim for shock value (e.g., fake news)

Content Subject to Further Review

The following advertising or sponsored content can be published on Insider Properties, but with limitations due to legal, regulatory, and branding concerns.

  • Astrology / Occult / Paranormal

    • ✔ Astrology and horoscopes

    • ✔ Psychics and fortune telling

    • ✔ Occult and paranormal

    • ✔ Astrology and esoteric

      • Including zodiac, horoscopes, love spells, potions, and psychic-related ads

    • ✘   References to, or advocacy for or against, religious views (See Religion[3] )

  • Beauty and Cosmetic Procedures

    • ✔ Body art

    • ✔ Cosmetic procedures and body modification

    • ✔ Plastic surgery

    • ✔ Warts removal

  • CBD

    • ✔ CBD and products that are ancillary or related to CBD, such as apps and accessories

    • !   CBD ads will be considered on a case-by-case basis

    • !   Advertising for topical CBD products are subject to the following restrictions:

      • Advertisers must be licensed by the appropriate authorities

      • Advertisers may only promote non-ingestible, legally derived CBD topical products

      • Advertisers may only target jurisdictions in which they are licensed to promote these products or services online

      • Advertisers are responsible for complying with all laws and regulations

    • ✘    Advertising may not state or imply that CBD products are drugs, or are intended to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent a disease or medical condition

    • ✘    CBD ads must not be targeted to children or minors

  • Dating

    • ✔ Advertising from mainstream online dating advertisers

    • ✘ Advertising promoting casual sex or international matchmaking services

  • Environmental Claims

    • ✔ Advertising with environmental claims, provided that they comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims

    • !   Any express or implied claims regarding an environmental attribute of a product, package, or service must possess a reasonable basis substantiating the claim

    • !   It should be clear that the benefit being asserted refers to the product, packaging, service, or to a portion of the product, package or service

    • !   Claims such as environmentally friendly, eco-friendly, ozone safe/ozone friendly, green, recyclable, non-toxic, biodegradable, sustainable, and compostable will be considered on a case-by-case basis

    • !   Claims regarding a company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts will be considered on a case-by-case basis

  • Financial Services

    • ✔ Advertising for financial services that are not on the prohibited content list[4] , but subject to review on a case-by-case basis, including:

      • money-making opportunities or offers

      • offers to share lucrative business secrets with consumers, multi-level marketing, work from home offers, and online surveys

    • ✔ Advertising for banking services, brokerage services, loan products and services, and similar services or investments, provided that all appropriate and material restrictions, risk factors, and qualifications are disclosed, and that the advertising conforms to all applicable laws

    • !   Whenever advertising includes prior investment results, a statement should be included that past results are not an indication or guarantee of similar results in the future

    • !   Online investment services must disclose material restrictions unique to their product or service (e.g., that response times for executing orders may depend on market or other conditions)

    • ✘ Predictions about future investment results are not permitted

  • Financial Services > Cryptocurrency

    • ✔ Advertising for cryptocurrency exchanges, e.g., Coinbase

    • ✘   Advertising for actual cryptocurrency, digital securities and or fungible digital tokens is not permitted

    • ✔ Advertising for ancillary products/services, e.g., trading apps, as long as the content in the ad is not promoting particular content

    • ✔ Advertising for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other digital assets that can be purchased with cryptocurrency, digital tokens or fiat currency where the NFT or other digital asset is not a security, such as investments in a painting or sculpture

    • ✔ Advertising that mentions blockchain, provided that there is no mention of ICOs or other content on the prohibited content list[5] 

  • Gambling and Gaming

    • ✔ Online games and puzzles

    • ✔ Video games

    • ✔ Advertising promoting lawful offline gambling and physical, real-money gambling activity or establishments, including:

      • "brick and mortar casinos” in Las Vegas or Macau

      • entertainment events at casinos

      • streaming of offline events such as poker tournaments

    • ✔ Advertising promoting lawful internet-based games where money or other items of value are paid or wagered in exchange for the opportunity to win real money or prizes based on the outcome of the game, including:

      • Sports betting, horse racing, fantasy sports, state-run lotteries, online casinos, online chess tournaments, or video games played for money or prizes

    • !   The advertising of legalized betting should include:

      • A disclaimer stating “Void where prohibited” and

      • Gambling responsibly messaging (e.g., if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER)

    • !   Advertising for fantasy sports games and sports betting will be considered on a case by case basis

    • !   Advertisers must have controls in place in those states that prohibit paid entry to prevent those present within those states from participating; such advertising must not guarantee winning or overstate the odds of winning

    • !   Advertisers are responsible for complying with applicable state, federal and FTC gaming and gambling regulations

    • !   Advertisements for any publication, “tip sheet,” electronic or mechanical device, application, or other product or service whose primary purpose is the giving of odds or promotion of betting will be considered on a case-by-case basis

    • ✘   Advertising for gambling must not be directed to children or minors

  • Healthcare

    • ✔ Prescription medication that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for distribution

      • !   Advertising must comply with applicable FDA regulations

      • !   Advertising must clearly advise consumers to consult a healthcare professional or call their doctor

      • !   Advertising must clearly state that the advertised product is available by prescription only

      • !   Advertising for online prescription websites will be consider on a case-by-case basis

      • ✘   Advertising offering prescription drugs without a prescription is not permitted

      • ✘   Claims that a product is a panacea or cure-all are not permitted

    • ✔ Over-the-counter (OTC) medications

      • !   Advertising for OTC medications can only promote occasional use and treatment of minor to moderate conditions

      • !   Advertising must clearly advise consumers to follow label directions (e.g., “Use as directed”)

      • !   Advertising should be confined to those symptoms and conditions for which the product is indicated

      • !   Claims must be consistent with the product’s indications, directions, and warnings

    • ✔   Dietary supplements

      • !   Claims for dietary supplements must comply with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which defines a “dietary supplement” as an ingestible that contains a dietary ingredient intended to supplement the diet

      • !   DSHEA does not permit claims that a dietary supplement can treat, cure, or prevent any disease, but does permit “structure/function” claims, which are claims that describe the helpful impact of the product on the structure or function of the body

      • !   We will closely scrutinize advertising for dietary supplements that contains claims involving serious health considerations, or that is directed to particularly sensitive groups

      • !   Advertising for dietary supplements must generally carry the following (or similar) disclaimer which is also required for package labeling by DSHEA: “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease”

    • ✔   Weight loss and weight loss products

      • !   Advertising of products and services for the reduction, gain, and control of weight must comply with established nutritional evidence and medical opinion

      • !   Where the demonstrated weight loss for the individuals shown in an ad is not typical, that fact must be clearly and conspicuously disclosed

      • ✘   Weight-loss advertising must neither be directed to minors nor depict minors using the product or service

    • ✔   Medical devices

      • !   Advertising must comply with applicable FDA regulations

    • ✔   Hospitals and treatment centers

    • ✔   Telemedicine platforms

      • !   Must operate legally and comply with applicable FDA and state laws and regulations

    • ✔ Online diagnosis websites

      • !   Advertising for diagnosis websites will be considered on a case-by-case basis

  • Political content

    • ✔ Political and PAC ads supporting candidates and issues

      • !   As with our political editorial coverage, we strive to remain impartial, so accepting political ads as a category means accepting ads for competing candidates as long as they don't violate other policies or our brand standards

      • !   Accepting such ads does not mean that we are endorsing the candidates or the political positions those ads support

  • Sexual and Reproductive Health

    • ✔   Advertising that includes sexual function, fertility, and birth control

    • ✔   Advertising for products, services, and information related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and abortion including clinics and medication

  • Sweepstakes and Contests

    • ✔   Sweepstakes and contests

      • !   Advertising for sweepstakes, contests, and other similar promotions will be considered on a case-by-case basis

      • !   Complete details, including the final official rules, must be submitted

      • !   Advertisers are responsible for all aspects of the promotion

      • !   Rules must clearly indicate that the promotion is not affiliated with Insider

    • ✘    Illegal lotteries

  • Tobacco Related Products

    • ✔ Advertising for tobacco or tobacco-substitute companies are subject to the following restrictions:

      • !  No advertising that promotes specific products or classes of products including, but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and other tobacco products, including vaporizers, electronic and "smokeless" tobacco products, and  paraphernalia

      • !  Advertising that advances a policy of transitioning away from tobacco products will be considered on a case-by-case basis

      • !  Insider will ONLY accept advertising for Direct and Premium Programmatic