Last updated: [20-10-2014]
Purpose: to ensure transparency and editorial independence when we publish advertising or sponsored material.
1. Principles
- Separation: Advertising and editorial teams operate independently. Advertisers cannot influence newsroom coverage.
- Transparency: All paid content, sponsored posts, advertorials, and promotions are clearly labeled (e.g., “Sponsored”, “Advertisement”, “Paid Partnership”).
- Compliance: Ads must comply with applicable law, consumer protection rules, and platform policies (including Google’s ad policies).
2. Prohibited advertising
We do not accept advertising for:
- Illegal goods or services, unlicensed pharmaceuticals, tobacco, weapons, or content that promotes violence or hate.
- Misleading or deceptive offers.
3. Native & sponsored content
- Native or sponsored articles must be clearly marked and include a disclosure indicating the sponsor’s identity and the commercial nature.
- Sponsored content must not be presented as independent editorial coverage.
4. Political advertising
Political ads are accepted only with clear labeling and in compliance with local election and transparency laws. We may refuse political ads at our discretion.
5. Third-party ad networks
We use third-party ad networks. These partners may collect certain data to serve targeted ads in accordance with our privacy policy and user consents.
6. Ad placement & user experience
Ads should not interfere with user experience (no deceptive placements that mimic content, no excessive pop-ups that violate platform policies). We follow widely accepted ad-quality standards to avoid penalties from search platforms.
7. Complaints & corrections
If an ad is misleading or violates our policy, contact ads@[yourdomain].com. We will investigate and take corrective action if necessary.
If you have questions or feedback about our Editorial Code of Practice, please contact us at editor@theafricastandard.com.
