Welcome to the BSI September 2024 Newsletter.

Brand safety is more critical than ever in the thick of election season, with advertisers on high alert about where their ads appear. But are brands overcorrecting and missing out on quality content and audiences? What impact are AI-generated content and misinformation having during this election cycle? Explore the latest strategies to strike the right balance on these issues.

Also, new misinformation reporting features on TikTok and YouTube, a webinar from Zefr & the 4A’s on election readiness in social featuring our COO, and more.

[Webinar] Election Readiness in Social: Navigating Digital Misinformation in 2024

Earlier this month, our COO, AJ Brown, joined a virtual webinar hosted by Zefr and The 4A’s focused on the critical issue of election integrity in the face of advancing generative AI technologies. The session featured a distinguished lineup of speakers including Brittany Scott, VP Measurement Partnerships at Zefr, and Dave Byrne, EVP, Brand Safety & Privacy at IPG Mediabrands. Together the panelists explored the challenges and solutions around the proliferation of AI-generated disinformation across digital platforms as we approach the highly anticipated 2024 U.S. elections.

Watch the Full Webinar Here

From BSI

Avoiding Overcorrection: Balancing Brand Safety

With the rise of deep fakes and highly polarizing content during a heated election cycle, advertisers are highly cautious about where their ads appear. But does this caution lead to overcorrection? In their efforts to avoid controversy, brands may be missing out on important, credible news and harder-to-reach audiences. In this article, we explore how marketers can strike a balance between protecting their reputation and supporting meaningful, credible content. Discover the tools and strategies needed to navigate today’s digital landscape responsibly.
Read Full Story Here

Brand Safety vs. Supporting Journalism: Do Both

Brand safety is a top priority in today’s digital landscape, but could it be inadvertently harming credible journalism? A new coalition by Dentsu and The 614 Group aims to tackle this issue by revitalizing investment in trustworthy news sources. As advertisers carefully protect their brand reputation, this initiative explores how they can support journalism without stifling important coverage. Discover why investing in news can be a brand opportunity rather than a risk, and how the balance between safety and sustainability is reshaping digital advertising.

Read Full Story Here

Brand Safety Shifts as Media is Challenged

The recent dissolution of GARM has left the advertising world grappling with how to navigate brand safety in an increasingly polarized environment. Both conservative and liberal audiences continue to boycott advertisers over controversial content, pushing publishers towards ​“safe” content – but at what cost? In this article, we explore how evolving pressures are reshaping what is deemed suitable for different audiences and how partnerships like Nine and Mantis are leveraging AI to enhance brand safety. Discover the innovative strategies that can help brands maintain integrity while staying relevant in today’s complex media landscape.
Read Full Story Here

Brand Safety Tools Expand for a New Era

With the dissolution of GARM, the digital advertising world has entered a new, uncertain phase — one filled with both challenges and opportunities. Now, individual brands must take the lead in defining their own brand safety standards. In this article, we explore innovative solutions like Zefr’s AI-powered targeting and TikTok’s customizable Inventory Filters that are helping brands navigate this complex landscape. Discover how advertisers are rethinking strategies to ensure precision, transparency, and suitability in the post-GARM world, and what it means for the future of brand safety.
Read Full Story Here

Brand Safety Tools Expand for a New Era

From BSI

TikTok Announces Expanded Third-Party Misinformation Measurement For Advertisers

TikTok’s third-party brand safety and suitability measurement partners (DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, and Zefr) are now able to provide post-campaign misinformation reporting for the content that runs alongside their ads in the For You feed. Testing from Zefr showed an average <0.1% misinformation adjacency rate for campaigns running in the For You feed.
Read Full Story Here

Zefr Announces Brand Safety & Suitability Measurement Capability for its Misinformation Category on YouTube

Zefr has expanded its AI-powered brand safety and suitability verification on YouTube, offering detailed reporting for misinformation. This new feature ensures brands can avoid placing ads next to harmful content across YouTube formats. Discover how Zefr’s advanced AI and human review process help brands protect their reputation in today’s evolving digital landscape.
Read Full Story Here

‘You Can’t Be Hands Off The Wheel’: Is Brand Safety a ​‘Shared Issue’?

Brand safety concerns are intensifying, especially in the wake of Elon Musk’s lawsuit against the WFA and the dissolution of GARM. Reports show advertisers are still spending millions on low-quality ad placements, prompting questions about who should take responsibility. In Kantar’s Media Reactions report, Google ranked highest for brand safety at just 39%, raising concerns about the industry’s approach. We explore the growing challenges and ask: Who is ultimately responsible for ensuring brand safety: brands, platforms, or third-party partners?
Read Full Story Here

X Publishes First Transparency Report Covering Post-Acquisition Content Moderation

X has published its latest transparency report detailing content moderation on the platform during Jan-June 2024 — its first report covering a time period following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company. The report includes information on user reports, posts actioned and removed, accounts suspended, as well as new post violation rate insights. This is the company’s first global transparency report since last April, when then-Twitter published content moderation data for the first half of 2022.
Read Full Report Here

Brands Push for Apolitical Influencers to Avoid ​‘Backlash’ as U.S. Presidential Election Looms

This U.S. election season, influencers face increased pressure to stay apolitical to ensure brand safety. However, balancing political neutrality with authenticity is a growing challenge. We explore how influencers are navigating strict content guidelines from brands, the impact of political stances on deals, and why some creators are walking away from lucrative opportunities. Learn how the election cycle is reshaping the influencer landscape and the tough decisions creators make to protect their careers and voices.
Read Full Story Here

Stay current with brand safety news around the industry by bookmarking our Around the Industry page.

From BSI

Marketer’s Guide to Platforms

Debuted at Cannes, learn how to manage brand safety and suitability on digital platforms with a new guide from BSI’s AJ Brown and TrustRaise founder Dave Byrne. This resource offers strategies from industry experts, covering foundational concepts, compliance monitoring, stakeholder roles, platform safety policies, and more. Equip yourself with the knowledge to protect your brand and make informed ad buying decisions on platforms. Get the Guide

Thank you for being a part of the BSI community. We look forward to bringing you more insightful stories and industry updates in the coming issues. Stay tuned, and we’ll see you next month!