Disclosure

Wojdynski and Evans (2016) pinpoint two distinct factors that are required for successful disclosure of sponsored content. First, consumers must notice the disclosure itself. Second, consumers must comprehend what that disclosure means in reference to the content they engaged with.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) mandates every paid post be disclosed with language such as “#ad,” “sponsored content,” and “paid content.”  It further demands that disclosures be:

• In clear and unambiguous language
• As close as possible to the native ads to which they relate
• In a font and color that’s easy to read
• In a shade that stands out against the background

*for more information regarding FTC native advertising disclosure go here

However, it is important to note that law and ethics are not the same. Law stresses what you must do, while ethics considers what you ought to do. 

Disclosure language can impact an individual’s ability to correctly identify the content as advertising. With a variety of disclosure language utilized, consumer confusion and their inability to correctly identify native advertising may occur even when disclosure is present. Disclosure language that has been tested to have the greatest correct identification include: “paid ad,” “paid content,” “this content was paid for by,” “paid post,” and “ad” (Hyman et al., 2017). While other terms such as “brand voice” have been used by online publishers such as Forbes, they are not as readily identified as native advertising (Moore, 2014).  Disclosure language, size and placement is important in signaling to the reader what they are viewing is an advertisement.