Markets Wired

The Federal Trade Commission will host a workshop on December 4, 2013 in Washington, DC to examine the practice of blending advertisements with news, entertainment, and other editorial content in digital media, referred to as “native advertising” or “sponsored content.”

The workshop, “Blurred Lines:  Advertising or Content?” will bring together publishing and advertising industry representatives, consumer advocates, academics, and self-regulatory organizations to explore:  the ways in which sponsored content is presented to consumers online and in mobile apps; consumers’ recognition and understanding of it; the contexts in which it should be identifiable as advertising; and effective ways of differentiating it from editorial content.

The workshop will be free and open to the public.  It will be held at the FTC’s satellite building conference center, located at 601 New Jersey Avenue, N.W. in Washington, D.C.   
Updates to the agenda, and logistical information for those planning to attend can be found on the workshop website, which will also provide a link to the live webcast.

Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Requests should be submitted to Lara Busby via email at lbusby@ftc.gov or by calling 202-326-3388.  Requests should be made in advance, and include a detailed description of the accommodations needed and contact information.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.