Ad firms settle with Trump FTC over claims they boycotted conservative media
Summary
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached settlements with three advertising firms over accusations that they worked together to reduce ad spending on conservative news sites. The FTC says these companies used shared rules about "brand safety" to restrict ads on websites labeled as spreading misinformation, mostly affecting conservative media.Key Facts
- The FTC and eight US states sued advertising firms Dentsu, Publicis, and WPP for allegedly boycotting conservative media.
- The lawsuit claims the firms colluded to create a "Brand Safety Floor" that targeted sites labeled as spreading misinformation.
- These rules led to less advertising money for conservative websites, including Breitbart.
- Competitors Omnicom and Interpublic are already under a similar FTC order related to these practices.
- The FTC’s complaint focuses on efforts by industry groups like the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) to enforce these advertising restrictions.
- Media Matters for America also pressured advertisers to avoid putting ads on Fox News and the platform X, according to the FTC.
- The FTC settlements stop the firms from cooperating with others to boycott ads on news sites.
- The settlements were approved by a US District Judge on the same day they were filed.
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