Advertisers to become more accountable on Facebook; Brandscreen includes FBX

At present, there are several AdChoices icons served on ads across the internet. Now Facebook has agreed to add the AdChoices icon to the ‘About this ad’ link available in the drop-down menu, which appears when a user clicks on the grey ‘x’. Apart from that, Facebook will replace the current hover text message, ‘Report this ad,’ with a more explanatory phrase, such as ‘Learn about Facebook ads’. These changes should be implemented by the first quarter, according to a press release issued by the Advertising Self-Regulatory Council (ASRC).

These changes will also enable demand-side platforms (DSPs) to provide consumers with additional information about when ads are behaviourally based, while maintaining the separation already in place between the data known by the advertiser and Facebook.

The accountability program is an investigative unit of the ASRC and is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. It enforces principles of Online Behavioural Advertising. Based on its review of how notice and choice about interest-based ads were provided on the FBX ad platform, the accountability program recommended that Facebook enable demand-side platforms to use the AdChoices Icon for greater clarity.

The accountability program started reviewing FBX as soon as it was out of beta to determine the roles of Facebook and its approved demand-side platforms. FBX enables advertisers using their own data, which include prior web browsing activity, to reach consumers when they are on Facebook. FBX is also designed so that Facebook does not gain access to this data.

On a separate note, one of Asia’s leading DSPs, Brandscreen, is now connected with FBX, allowing advertisers and agencies to purchase real-time bidding inventory through FBX.

Facebook represents a large portion of display ad inventory on the web and this represents the largest single step forward for advertisers using DSPs, said Julian Tol, Brandscreen CEO. “This collaboration between Brandscreen and Facebook gives advertisers the opportunity to use Brandscreen technology and extend their successful behavioural targeting strategies to the huge and highly engagement Facebook network,” Tol added.

Brandscreen recently relocated to a larger office in Singapore’s Samsung Hub. It has also made several new staff appointments.