FieldTest Ad Policy & Guidelines
Last updated and effective 12.21.2020
FieldTest requires that all advertisers comply with the following policies and standards in order to protect advertisers, publishers, and consumers.
In addition to the policies set forth below, all ads must comply with the policies and standards of our partner SSPs and the Interactive Advertising Bureau ("IAB"), including without limitation:
● IAB Display Advertising Guidelines
Ads must:
● Have a visible border of a contrasting color to the majority background color of the creative.
● Comply with ad guidelines and specifications.
Ads may not:
● Contain fake hyperlinks.
● Resemble Windows, Unix, or Mac dialog boxes.
● Simulate fake interactivity.
● Contain sexual content.
● Contain audio. (Exceptions include user-initiated rich media ads)
● Initiate downloads.
● Be intrusive.
● Advertise competitive content.
● Contain misleading content.
Google AdX also enforces the following limits:
● 5MB or smaller download size on display ads
● 25 or fewer cookies
● 100 or fewer HTTP calls
Non-Disruptive Ads
Advertising should not disrupt content consumption. The below guidance identifies disruptive ad experiences that must not be used:
Pop-up Ads
Ads that cover or overlay the content or obstruct users from viewing the content. It Includes all ads that pop up on the user’s screen and cover the content as well as ads that "float in", "slide in", "fly in" to the screen, and obstruct the full view or partial view of the screen’s primary content. Any ads that automatically take user to an interstitial or overlay ad without user initiation or user action to navigate content.
Auto-Expansion
Ads that expand from their original size to a bigger size without user initiation MUST NOT be used. Expansion while scrolling is allowed.
Hover or Rollover Expansion
Hover MUST NOT be considered a substitute for a click, for the purpose of ad expansion. On hover, no ad function that changes the form or size of the ad from its original size is allowed, e.g., expansion.
Sideways Ad Expand that Overlays Content
No directional or sideways expansion of an ad is allowed. All ads must expand to cover full screen. If expanded creative size is not full screen, it must be placed in center of screen.
Auto-Play Video with Audio
Auto-play defines automatic initiation of media by the ad. These ads auto-play audio on desktop and mobile devices. Video play is defined as the execution of specific files, e.g. mp4, that are used to play video. Audio is allowed to auto play only under specific conditions.
Forced Countdown
Forced countdowns to dismiss or skip ads e.g., interstitials or expanded part of the ad MUST NOT be used. User should have immediate option to "Close" or "Dismiss" the ad from the beginning of the ad experience.
Pages with High Ad Density
Pages that have ads covering more than 30% of pixels are considered high ad-density pages. Pages should have less than 30% ad density. Sometimes an ad may have more than 30% of pixels of user’s viewport but not more than 30% of pixels on the page. Such ads are allowed under the following guidance:
An ad is allowed to occupy more than 30% of the viewport at a time, e.g. a 1:1 ad on mobile phone, BUT overall on the page (as user scrolls down) the combined ads must not have more than 30% of pixels on page.
If an ad that has more than 30% ad density of the viewport is to be shown it must start with partial viewability (no more than 30% of height screen) on screen and gain full viewability as user scrolls through the page.
Scroll-Over or Scrolling Overlay
Ads that appear while scrolling and auto expand to cover the content or screen. Ads that do not expand inline but overlay the content. Ads that expand against the user scroll direction.
Flashing Animation
Flashing animation is described as having one or more of below content types:
1. High contrast colors.
2. Very bright colors.
3. Fast moving images or content.
Safety and Security
Advertising should be safe for all users. The following are prohibited:
Phishing
"Phishing" is an attempt to obtain users' personal information by disguising a website to look like another website.
Sale of Free Items and Official Services
Sale of items or services that are otherwise available for free. We also do not allow the sale of government forms or services that are available for free or for a lower price on the official or government site.
Malware
Malware, short for "malicious software," refers to any software specifically designed to harm a computer or the software it's running. Malware can steal sensitive information (like credit card numbers or passwords) or even send fake emails from a user's email account, often without the user's knowledge. Malware includes, but isn't limited to, viruses, worms, spyware, and Trojan horses.
Compromised User Safety
Cannot make misleading claims. Example : Get Rich Quick!
Must promote products with credible, realistic claims.
Must display relevant disclaimers or other information required by law.
Must promote transparency and accuracy.
Spam Techniques
Not allowed :
● Ad spam techniques (exploiting online advertising systems, like AdWords, for financial gain)
● Affiliate spam techniques (conducting affiliate campaigns on AdWords in violation of the applicable affiliate program rules)
● Bulk marketing techniques (distributing spam to large audiences).
Restricted Products and Services
Advertising should comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Abortion
No ads related to abortion that use violent language or gruesome imagery.
Abortion-related services are allowed, depending on the country. Consult with your Account Manager for details.
Alcohol
With certain geographic restrictions, we accept ads for alcohol branding or information, including the promotion of beer, wine, and spirits. Branding and informational ads include any advertisement which features an alcoholic beverage as the focus of the advertisement or the website. We accept branding and informational ads to target certain countries only, based on multiple factors including user experience and legal considerations. In many cases, pre-approval may be required from the supply-side platform in order to run ads that contain or depict alcohol, liquor, or spirits.
“Anti” and Violence
FieldTest does not allow the promotion of "anti" or violent concepts, such as the following:
● Ad text advocating against an organization, person, or group of people
● Ads and associated websites advocating against a protected group. A protected group is distinguished by one of the following: race or ethnic origin, color, national origin, religion, disability, sex, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity
● Attempts to revise history against the interests of a protected group
● The promotion of self-harm and violence against people or animals
● Any ads that link to Scientology content must clearly indicate that the website is related to the Church of Scientology. For example, the ads should refer to "Scientology," "Ron Hubbard," or "Dianetics."
Casinos and Gambling
Online gambling content is not allowed.
Gambling-related products are not allowed
Brick-and-mortar casino content is not allowed
Gambling-related content that is allowed includes:
● Contests, sweepstakes, and raffles
● Sale of physical scratch cards
● Online scratch games run by state, national, or Indian nation governments
● Fantasy sports contests
● Physical gambling equipment
● National or state lotteries.
Endangered Species
FieldTest does not allow the promotion of products obtained from endangered or threatened species.
Fake Documents
FieldTest does not allow the promotion of fake documents such as fake ID, fake passports, and fake invoices
Financial Services
All advertisers advertising products and services related to financial services must do the following:
● Operate in compliance with state and local regulations – for example, include specific disclosures required by local law.
● Disclose associated fees.
● Include links to third-party accreditation/endorsement where affiliation is implied, particularly when it serves to improve the reputation of the site. Examples include, but are not limited to, verification of government affiliation and third-party ratings.
● Provide legitimate physical contact information for the business being promoted.
Fireworks
FieldTest does not allow the promotion of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices.
Healthcare and Medications
There are restrictions on the promotion of healthcare-related products and services. We have different requirements for advertising healthcare-related products based on the product you're advertising and the country you're targeting. Reach out to your account manager for more details. Pre-approval may be required from the supply side platform in order to run ads depicting healthcare and medication related products.
Illegal Drugs
FieldTest does not allow the promotion of illegal drugs, legal or synthetic highs, herbal drugs, illegal chemicals and compounds with psychoactive effects, illegal drug paraphernalia, or aids to pass drug tests.
Illegal Hacking
FieldTest does not allow ads or websites that promote hacking by providing instructions or equipment to illegally access or tamper with software, servers, cell phones, or websites.
Illegal Products & Services
FieldTest does not allow the advertising of illegal products and services.
Political Advertising
FieldTest does not allow advertising for political candidates or parties where it is prohibited by law.
Requirements:
● Any political advertising must comply with local, state, and national election laws.
● You aren't allowed to target countries where campaign ads are against the law.
● You aren't allowed to target countries with "election silence" laws during electoral bans. It is the advertiser's responsibility to make sure that ads don't run during those prohibited times.
● Any political advertising must also follow our "Anti" & Violence and Solicitation of Funds policies.
Sexually-explicit content
FieldTest does not allow ads which:
● Promote graphic depictions of sexual acts.
● Promote content with underage or non-consensual sexual themes, including child sexual abuse content.
● Promote services that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation.
Solicitation of Funds
FieldTest does not allow the solicitation of funds (donations) unless they are for tax-exempt organizations.
Tobacco Products
FieldTest does not allow the promotion of most tobacco or tobacco-related products. The promotion of tobacco or tobacco-related products includes cigarettes, cigars, tobacco pipes, rolling papers, electronic cigarettes, and e-cigarette cartridges.
Traffic Devices
FieldTest does not allow the promotion of products that are designed to interfere with the enforcement of traffic laws. While radar detectors are allowed in most countries (see details below), radar jammers and other law evading products aren't allowed.
Underage
FieldTest doesn't allow the promotion of underage-themed sexual content, including child sexual abuse imagery and non-consensual or illegal sexual content. We don't allow this content regardless of whether it meets applicable legal restrictions around this kind of content.
Trademark, Copyright, Counterfeit
All advertising, as well as the products and services being advertised, must clearly comply with all applicable laws and regulations related to trademark, copyright, and counterfeit goods.
Weapons
FieldTest does not allow the promotion of weapons or devices designed to cause serious harm or injury. The promotion of weapons includes guns, gun parts or hardware, ammunition, bombs, knives, throwing stars, and brass knuckles.
Accurate Ads
Ads should not be misleading, inaccurate, or deceitful.
Advertiser Claims
All ads should be truthful, accurate, and up-to-date every time they are shown to users.
Advertiser claims include but are not limited to: competitive claims, superlatives, offers, discounts, and pricing. This policy also covers unverified offers and claims that are either scientifically impossible or otherwise misleading to users.
● All advertising claims must be factually supportable.
● All discounts and offers in your ad must be up-to-date and must match the content on your website.
● All advertised products, prices, offers, and discounts must be available on your site at most two clicks away from your landing page or through a basic search on your site.
● Users must be able to perform the ad's call to action – if any – on the site, within two clicks of the landing page.
● Any pricing information in ads must comply with local regulations concerning inclusion of tax and other applicable charges.
Relevant, Accurate, Clear
● Your ads and keywords must directly relate to the content on the landing page for your ad.
● Your ads cannot simulate email inbox notifications.
Banned Characteristics
Landing pages featuring the following content may not run on FieldTest:
● Unbranded ads
● Pornographic or highly suggestive content or images, nudity or suggestive content or images
● Promoting adult products, including sex toys and sexual enhancers
● Promoting adult-themed dating, escort services, “mail-order brides,” or similar services
● Promoting online gambling
● Sales of weapons or ammunition
● Sale of tobacco
● Peer-to-peer file sharing, torrents, or anything that facilitates or promotes copyright infringement
● Extreme violence or incitement of hatred of any race, religion, creed, class, or ethnic group or of any individual or group
● Hate content, including sites that advocate the superiority of a specific race or ethnic group
● Promotion of illegal drugs or illegal drug paraphernalia
● Promotion of black-hat hacking, cracking, or warez
● Any other content that is illegal, promotes illicit or harmful activity, or infringes on the rights of others. This includes sites that provide “how-to” information on bomb-making, lock-picking, and similar topics
● Defamatory or libelous content
● Distribution of viruses, malware install spyware, trojans, viruses, or other malware
● Descriptions, depictions, or glorification of the pain, suffering, torture, violence or death of or against humans or animals
● Sales or promotion of firearms, ammunition, bombs or other weapons, or related design materials
● Automatic redirections of the user to a new page or app; pop-ups on a webpage upon banner open or upon page exit
● Anything misleading or containing content that is not reflective of what the user will find on the clickthrough URL.