Facebook Updates Branded Content Policy, Adds Tags For Transparency

On the same day BuzzFeed used Facebook’s live platform to burst a watermelon, the social media giant announced some significant changes to its branded content policy. It has rolled now new tags that will make it simple — and a requirement — for brands to mark the content they sponsor.

The new tags are designed to be easy-to-implement on branded Facebook posts. In particular, they will be available on verified pages; to demonstrate how the tags will look, a Facebook blog post shared an Intel-sponsored post from Lady Gaga’s official page.

“This update is something that media companies, public figures, influencers, and marketers have been asking for, as branded content is a growing and evolving part of the media landscape,” reads the blog post. “People will now be connected to more of the content they care most about on Facebook as publishers and influencers gain an incentive to share more quality content — of all kinds — with their fans.”

The new update both promotes the proliferation of branded content on Facebook and the transparency with which it is displayed. In terms of the former goal, the rise of sponsored posts on Facebook can improve monetization options for creators on the platform. In a recent livestream, CEO Mark Zuckerberg touted his site as a place where independent artists can bring in a livable income.

The transparency offered by Facebook’s new tags, however, are arguably their most important quality. Video sites like YouTube have run into trouble with international watchdog groups, which have decried unmarked and deceptive branded content on the Internet. By requiring content creators to clearly disclose sponsored posts and imposing strict guidelines on the types of branded content they can run, Facebook has implemented a legally-sound system and protected itself from future challenges in that department.