Both Facebook and Instagram have been awarded brand safety certification from the Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS).
The certification comes following an independent audit of the platforms’ advertising processes against JICWEBS’ DTSG Good Practice Principles – which aim to reduce the risk of brands running ads adjacent to inappropriate content.
Facebook and Instagram have come under fire in recent months around the misplacement of ads on both platforms exploiting inappropriate user-generated content including violent videos, racism, trolling and child abuse.
Last year the House of Lords Communication Select Committee urged all industry bodies to commit to signing up with JICWEBS and to date over 130 organisations have done so.
Facebook and Instagram’s certifications closely follow Amazon, who received theirs in July.
“Advertisers want greater trust and transparency in the digital ad chain. JICWEBS’ certification shows advertisers who are making a genuine commitment to protect their investment. We hope all parts of the supply chain will share the same level of detail through our certification scheme,” said Jules Kendrick, CEO of JICWEBS.
“Digital advertising builds brands, drives growth and creates jobs. It is vital that advertisers can trust where their ads are appearing, and we are fully behind the industry’s desire to raise standards in digital advertising,” commented Steve Hatch, VP of Northern Europe at Facebook.
“We support JICWEBS’ robust standards, rigorous verification process and the industry transparency it provides, and are delighted to have achieved DTSG Brand Safety Certification.