It is not uncommon to hear that a child wants to be a content creator – making a living by sharing their hobbies, likes, and interests with a following on a social media platform like YouTube. A common business model for successful content creators is to work in paid partnership with a brand to market … Continue reading Protecting Child Influencers →

On October 7, the negotiations between the U.S. and European Commission regarding the future of the data privacy frameworks behind the Privacy Shield program were completed with the release of a Presidential Executive Order, passing the baton to the EU for the start of their adequacy process. Finally, after two years of limbo, the 5,000 businesses that … Continue reading The Future of EU-U.S. Data Transfers →

Think about the times you felt tricked or frustrated by a membership or subscription that had a seamless signup process but was later difficult to cancel. Something that should be simple and transparent can be complicated, intentionally or unintentionally, in ways that impair consumer choice. These are examples of dark patterns. Unfortunately, dark patterns are … Continue reading Where is the Line Between Ethical Design and Dark Patterns? →

The metaverse is still a bit of a mystery. Though it will soon begin to integrate physical and virtual worlds, no one has the answers as to exactly what that merge will look like. On this episode of Privacy Abbreviated, hosts Dona and Catherine are joined by Tracy Shapiro, a privacy expert, and partner at … Continue reading The Metaverse Will Blur the Lines Between Physical and Online Privacy →

For years, the direct selling industry carried a stigma of frauds and pyramid schemes, but in 2019, the Direct Selling Association decided to take control of its reputation. They enlisted the help of BBB National Programs to develop a self-regulatory program. From this partnership came the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC). In this episode of … Continue reading How is Direct Selling Advertising Different? →

As a consumer, do you see value in targeted advertising or are you creeped out by marketers tracking you across the internet? In this episode of Privacy Abbreviated, hosts Catherine and Dona are joined by the host of the MarTech Podcast and founder of I Hear Everything, Ben Shapiro. Together, they discuss how small and … Continue reading The Good, the Bad, and the Grey of Targeted Advertising →

When you hear a claim in an advertisement like, “best in the world,” you probably know that the product has not been measurably proven to actually be the best in the world. And that’s okay, because this is an example of puffery, an exaggerated, blustering, or boastful statement or general claim that could only be … Continue reading Revisiting the Best Podcast Episode Ever: What is Puffery? →

Understanding how to present scientific evidence in a substantiation case can be difficult, especially when the data is complex or no industry standard exists. In this episode of Ad Watchers, the hosts discuss a complex topic: how should marketers put scientific data to use? They answer this question by diving into different types of scientific … Continue reading How Should You Present Scientific Evidence to Support Your Ad Claims? →

Looking back even just five years ago, the privacy landscape looked nothing like it does today – there was no General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), no California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and the demands on businesses were much different. In the first episode of Privacy Abbreviated, hosts Catherine Dawson and Dona Fraser are joined by … Continue reading The State of Privacy: How Did We Get Here? →

BBB National Programs is pleased to introduce Privacy Abbreviated. Hosted by privacy experts Dona Fraser and Catherine Dawson, this new podcast series will discuss the impact of privacy laws and tech innovation on small and medium-sized companies and what business leaders can do to meet challenges in this evolving landscape. As we gear up for … Continue reading Introducing Privacy Abbreviated: Meet the Hosts →

The cosmetics industry is booming and it is easy to see why: most people want to look younger, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and feel like they are taking care of their skin. But just like claims for dietary supplements, beauty product claims must be truthful, not misleading, and require substantiation. In this episode of … Continue reading What Should You Consider Before Making Cosmetics Claims? →

Consumer perception surveys are notoriously difficult to get right – from what you ask, to who you ask, to how you ask it, there is a lot of room for things to go wrong. In this episode of Ad Watchers, hosts provide an overview of some of the biggest points to consider when creating consumer … Continue reading How to Get Consumer Perception Surveys Right? →

As consumers are increasingly focused on the impact of their purchasing decisions, companies are looking to convey information on the environmental attributes of their products, services, and sustainability performance. In the season two premiere of Ad Watchers, La Toya Sutton and her new co-host, Eric Unis, walk listeners through environmental benefit claims, or “green claims,” … Continue reading How Can You Avoid the Grey Areas of Green Claims? →

As the drumbeat to modernize the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) continues, all components of the 1998 law have come under scrutiny, particularly the Safe Harbor provision. Under COPPA, the FTC has the ability to approve industry groups to administer self-regulatory programs implementing the protections for children outlined in the rule. Recently, some lawmakers … Continue reading COPPA Questions: Are Safe Harbors Effective? →

Any sort of advertising claims related to health or wellness have a special place within advertising claims substantiation: all advertising claims need a reasonable basis, but when it comes to health claims, that reasonable basis has to be competent and reliable scientific evidence, or CARSE. This means that the results of any study done should … Continue reading What Evidence Do You Need to Support Health Claims? →

In this episode of The Accountability Studio, host Cobun Zweifel-Keegan is joined by two industry professionals for a deep-dive into one company’s innovative approach to data privacy, accountability, and trust. Listen in to hear Josh Harris, BBB National Programs’ Director of Global Privacy Initiatives, and Harvey Jang, Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer at Cisco … Continue reading Data Privacy Accountability in Practice: A Case Study of Cisco →

In the increasingly digital landscape, the influence of word-of-mouth has gone viral. Before making a purchase, consumers frequently turn to a product or service’s reviews and ratings. Since consumers trust what other consumers have to say, brands want to leverage these voices—but are they responsible for them? In this episode, Hal and La Toya explore … Continue reading When Are Advertisers Responsible for Consumer Ratings and Reviews? →

Despite this generation’s comfort navigating digital spaces today, they still face the same cognitive limitations – and therefore, vulnerabilities – that they always have. This reality is just one of the reasons that BBB National Programs’ Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) recently issued revised guidelines to assure that advertising directed to children is not deceptive, unfair, or … Continue reading What Do CARU’s Revised Guidelines Mean for Advertisers? →

When you hear a claim in an advertisement like, “best in the world,” you probably know that the product has not been measurably proven to actually be the best in the world. And that’s okay, because this is an example of puffery, an exaggerated, blustering, or boastful statement or general claim that could only be … Continue reading The Best Podcast Episode Ever: What is Puffery? →

In this episode of The Accountability Studio, Moderator Cobun Zweifel-Keegan, Deputy Director of Privacy Initiatives at BBB National Programs, is joined by two industry professionals for an informative conversation on the cross-border privacy rules (CBPR) system, a voluntary framework with a global impact. BBB National Programs Director of Global Privacy Initiatives Josh Harris,  and Sam … Continue reading The Past and Future of Privacy Accountability: Is CBPR a Model? →

When you see an advertisement, you are likely taking in much more than just the words you are presented with. The visuals, sounds, and way the language is presented can all impact the implied messages that consumers take away. In general, advertisers are required to have a reasonable basis for all messages conveyed, whether express … Continue reading How Do We Step into the Shoes of the Consumer? →

  While it may seem like a niche issue to some, disclosures are something every advertising lawyer needs to know about. On this episode of Ad Watchers, hosts Hal Hodes and La Toya Sutton break down the ‘Four Ps’ that advertisers must keep in mind when it comes to disclosures: prominence, presentation, placement, and proximity. … Continue reading What’s the Recipe for a Proper Advertising Disclosure? →

Advertisers are required to have a “reasonable basis” for their advertising claims, but what is “reasonable” in terms of support and the level and type of evidence needed? In this episode of the Ad Watchers, hosts Hal Hodes and La Toya Sutton break down the standard that helps us determine what is reasonable: the Pfizer … Continue reading What Does it Mean to Have a “Reasonable Basis” Standard? →