Original release from Coalition for Better Ads
Coalition for Better Ads Opens Publisher Enrollment in Better Ads Experience Program to Drive Further Adoption of its Standards
February 15, 2018 – The Coalition for Better Ads today announced that it has opened enrollment for its Better Ads Experience Program for publishers that wish to certify their compliance with the Better Ads Standards and participate in the Program’s register. The Program represents a significant advancement in the Coalition’s efforts to improve the online ad experience for consumers and promote marketplace adoption of the Standards. Publisher registration is the first of several steps to establish and enhance the Better Ads Experience Program this year.
The Coalition’s announcement occurs as Google implements its previously-announced plan for the Chrome browser to filter ads based on the Better Ad Standards. Google, a member of the Coalition, has expressed its interest in being accredited as an implementation entity to assess compliance with the Standards when the Program is fully operational. Consistent with this intention, Google has informed the Coalition that it will not filter ads for any company certified under the Program’s requirements. The Coalition is encouraged by the fact Chrome filtering will serve to limit unwanted ads, and that the Program will provide an industry-supported framework for entities that commit to following the Better Ads Standards.
Enrollment by each interested publisher allows the company and its domains to be included in the Program’s register. Initial publisher registration will be free of charge until at least July 1. Thereafter, registration may be on a fee basis.
The Program expects to introduce an independent dispute resolution mechanism in the second quarter of this year. Companies that register as Program participants will be eligible to access the dispute resolution mechanism to address disputes over compliance assessments related to the Standards.
The Coalition for Better Ads is pleased by the large number of companies in the online ad industry that have embraced the Better Ads Standards and taken action on their own and with their business partners to discontinue the ad formats consumers find most annoying and disruptive. The Coalition encourages other brands, agencies, technology companies and publishers to take action to implement the Standards, which reflect the views of more than 40,000 consumers in North America and Europe.
The Coalition welcomes industry input on its work and additional approaches to promote adoption of the Better Ads Standards.
Interested publishers can learn more about the Program and the registration process at www.betterads.org/program.
Members of the News/Media Alliance staff have contributed to this post.