Once a harmless idea of connecting users and content, social media platforms have routinely found themselves in the center of controversy. These controversies have caught the attention of large organizations and marketers as their choices and operations are now impacting others advertisements.
Some organizations deal with more minor difficulties, such as their ad being placed next to another distasteful ad or ad that is being paid for by a company known for negative practices. Other organizations, must deal with more complex consequences.
Earlier this year, many advertisers pulled out of YouTube as it was discovered their algorithm was directing viewers to exploitive videos of children. This catapulted the discussions towards responsible practices and the stricter monitoring of content.
To this, many of the world’s leading organizations (and top ad agencies) have joined together to create an organization called the Global Alliance for Responsible Media which will focus on the importance of digital safety. Still new, there is much left to be determined in terms of what operations will actually look like. However, this is a positive step towards uniting marketers and protecting brand images.
Some of the advertisers include names you know like General Mills, Adidas, NBCUniversal, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and others. Additionally, they have convinced Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter, and others to join the alliance as well.
This alliance will be critical as we continue to move forward in the digital media landscape. While platforms still have a long ways to go in terms of monitoring exploitive or offensive content while balancing the freedom of expression and not “over-policing,” this alliance is a step in the right direction to create more credibility and accountability.
What do you think the first actions of the new alliance should be?
References:
Ha, A. (2019). Advertisers and digital media companies form a new Global Alliance for Responsible Media. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/18/global-alliance-for-responsible-media/
Romm, T., & Timberg, C. (2019). YouTube to ban comments on most videos featuring minors to combat child exploitation. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/02/28/youtube-ban-comments-most-videos-featuring-minors-combat-child-exploitation/?utm_term=.ec6e6a6d867a
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