Ads Guidelines & Acceptance Policies

BDG

These BDG Ads Guidelines and Acceptance Policies (“Ads Policy”) aim to preserve and enhance the reader experience on our sites and applies to all content you submit as or on behalf an advertiser.

We take the integrity of the reader experience very seriously and any attempt to manipulate this Ads Policy is strictly prohibited. If you violate this Ads Policy, BDG may suspend or terminate your ad account(s) for severe or repeated Ads Policy violations in each case without any obligation to reimburse you for any costs or expenses you may have incurred. BDG reserves the right to reject, remove or request modifications to an ad in its sole discretion, for any reason. BDG reserves the right to reject campaigns which do not meet its policies as determined in its sole discretion. For those policies that require prior approval by BDG, please engage your appropriate client support team.

Please note that this Ads Policy may be modified from time to time, so you’re encouraged to check back for updates.

By submitting advertising content on our sites, in addition to this Ads Policy, you accept and agree to abide by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

GENERAL

  • You and the advertising content must comply with the Rules of Conduct set forth in our Terms of Service.
  • All advertising content must be accurate, truthful and substantiated.
  • All advertising content must be appropriate for a general audience and for the type of placement in which it will be displayed.
  • It is your responsibility to make sure that both you and your ads comply with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and industry standards in each geographical area where the advertisements may appear.
  • You are responsible for obtaining any required permits, licenses and certifications necessary to advertise your products and/or services.
  • You must be honest about the products or services that you promote.
  • If, at any time, a change in applicable laws renders the performance of BDG’s duties impossible or illegal to perform, BDG shall, in its sole discretion, be entitled to terminate the relationship with you without further obligation.
  • Throughout this Ads Policy, we refer to advertisers and/or agencies representing advertisers as “you/your”.

PROHIBITED CONTENT

Advertising content may not:

  • Contain deceptive, false, or misleading content.
  • Directly target or appeal to children or other vulnerable populations due to the messaging, imagery, or targeting.
  • Contain therapeutic claims.
  • With respect to cannabis and CBD ads, include cartoonish imagery of any kind or depict the consumption of cannabis products.
  • Be emotionally draining or exploitative, including content that portrays abused humans or animals.
  • Promote practices that can result in physical or mental harm.
  • Pornography or explicit sexual content.
  • Encourage, glamorize or depict excessive consumption of drugs or alcohol.
  • Contain excessive violence or gore.
  • Exploit sensitive events such as natural disasters, human-caused disasters, incidents of mass trauma and/or casualties, or the death of public figures.
  • Advocate or demean any religion.
  • Be threatening, abusive, or harassing, or contain content that advocates or discriminates against a protected group (whether based on race, color, national origin, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age or any similar or another category).

PROHIBITED PRODUCTS & SERVICES

The following products and services cannot be promoted in advertising content on our sites:

  • Weapons of any kind.
  • Tobacco or tobacco-related products, including e-cigarettes.
  • Escort services.
  • Fat burners and fat blockers.
  • Get-rich-quick and pyramid schemes.
  • Products, services, technology, or website content that (i) infringes, encourages or enables the infringement of the intellectual property or personal rights of others, or (ii) promotes any illegal or dangerous activity, including false document services, counterfeit designer goods, cable descramblers, fireworks, or websites that promote hacking or evading law enforcement.

POLITICAL ADS

  • We will only accept political ad content from Political and Advocacy advertisers, provided such content is supplied by the advertiser on IAB banners. Such content may only appear on BDG owned & operated properties. Content related to political issues of public debate are prohibited.
  • BDG does not offer branded or social content or create rich media ad units for political or advocacy campaigns.

CONTESTS, SWEEPSTAKES, & COMPETITIONS

  • You are solely responsible for including all disclosures required by applicable laws and regulations in connection with ads containing any contests, sweepstakes and competitions.
  • Your advertising content must clearly indicate that official rules apply and you must include a disclosure directing the reader to the relevant terms and conditions.
  • Your advertising content must not misrepresent the odds of winning.