Global Yahoo Advertising Policies

Yahoo ad targeting policies are in place to help users feel welcome and comfortable on our sites. This policy applies to ad interest targeting. Advertisers are wholly responsible for making sure ad targeting, including first and third party data, is legal and complies with all applicable local and regional regulations and the policy.

Sensitive interest categories include but are not limited to:

• Any category that facilitates discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, religion, citizenship or immigration status, or protected class.
• Any category that is predatory in nature. For example, targeting users based on economic hardship or economic vulnerability.
• Any category based on sexual interests.
• Any category based on illegal activities.
• Any category based on sensitive physical or mental health data, including biometric data, genetic data, and addiction issues. Definitions of sensitivity for physical or mental health data vary by jurisdiction, with some jurisdictions considering any physical or mental health data to be sensitive.
• Any category based on participation in political demonstrations, protests for social justice, equality, or human rights, and related gatherings.

Precise location data may be deemed sensitive in some jurisdictions and is only allowed with Yahoo’s prior approval.

Some restrictions may still apply (e.g., use of the data will be restricted in certain jurisdictions, and health-related targeting is not allowed).

Advertising (ad text, images, videos, links and/or landing pages) that misrepresents, ridicules or attacks an individual or group on the basis of age, color, national origin, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or cognitive, sensory or physical disabilities, or otherwise violates Yahoo's Terms of Service, is not acceptable.

Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings may be taken into consideration when an advertiser is being reviewed for placement. Yahoo reserves the right to reject an advertiser based on a poor BBB rating or record of complaints. If an advertiser produces evidence that it is working with the BBB to clear up any negative ratings associated with its business(es), Yahoo may take those efforts into consideration.

Yahoo takes proactive measures to prevent malware from serving on properties and platforms. All advertising assets are required to be scanned by proprietary and 3rd party systems prior to launch. Malicious ads are removed immediately to protect the platforms and users. Note that advertisers that have been certified by Ad Policy to be whitelisted may not require scanning of all assets.

Advertisers that use any of the following techniques will be subject to appropriate action, up to and including revocation of access to Yahoo platforms.

• Sites or ads that use cloaking or similar techniques to display different content to reviewers during ad review regardless of time of day or location.
• Sites or ads that use any malicious techniques to circumvent any aspect of the review process
• Ads that use cloaking or any similar evasive or malicious technique to evade compliance with GDPR requirements.
• Ads that use any malicious technique to mask 3rd party vendor technology within a creative.

Advertising that promotes or displays violence, crime or obscenity or other forms of anti-social behavior, or is otherwise not in good taste, is not acceptable. Advertisements may not use disparaging language or intimate that use of the advertised product or service will help avoid compliance with a law or promote illegal activity.

Advertising that features defamatory, libelous or threatening content or language is not acceptable.

Advertising that features potentially offensive content or language is not acceptable.

This includes but is not limited to:

• Ads and landing pages that leverage fear, tragic events, or salacious content.
• Ads and landing pages that use inflammatory language or images that exacerbate sensitive social issues, incite hatred, or are fundamentally misleading or inaccurate.
• Ads and landing pages that leverage sensitive or controversial political or cultural topics to promote commercial products or offers.
• Ads that use race baiting, bigotry or similarly offensive techniques.
• Viscerally impactful images such as close up images of medical conditions or unattractive conditions the product is meant to treat, blood, body parts, or bodily fluids.
• Vulgar or offensive words or phrases.

Advertising that is associated with extreme user irritation, including, but not limited to, Ad Feedback or other negative user feedback may be removed from Yahoo sites and platforms without notice, regardless of compliance with other policies in this document, and/or prior feedback or approval from Yahoo. Questions as to whether an advertisement is acceptable should be referred to the Yahoo Ad Policy team.

Advertising or product promotion that provides comparative price information on identical products is acceptable. Advertising that provides comparative claims related to the efficacy or safety of a competitive product or service is allowed as long as the claims are truthful and substantiated.

Yahoo

Yahoo reserves the right to reject any proposed advertisements on the basis of concerns about competition, advertising exclusivities, or other existing or planned business relationships.

Ads or landing pages for competitors including, but not limited to, the following are generally prohibited:

• Email providers
• Search engines
• Ad blockers
• Toolbars
• DSPs
• Any ad or landing page that changes or includes an offer to change a user's default homepage or Search settings
• Fantasy sports
• Sports betting and online gambling on Yahoo Sports & Fantasy US inventory

At Yahoo's sole discretion, we may opt to accept competitors' advertising, and may restrict such ads from running on a competitive Yahoo product, service or content area or a Yahoo homepage.

Skill contests and random draw sweepstakes may be promoted if the contest/sweepstakes does not constitute an illegal lottery and otherwise complies with all applicable country, federal and state laws. Such programs include random drawings, trivia contests, word games, spelling bees, essay contests and photography contests. Advertisements for contests and sweepstakes must clearly and conspicuously disclose the material terms and conditions of participating and must not be false, deceptive or misleading. All promotions must clearly disclose that no purchase is necessary when legally required (e.g., United States).

Mobile: Ads for Contests will not be served within mobile application implementations; advertisers may not target ads for contests to mobile or device inventory.

All contests and sweepstakes that allow entry by users under the age of 18 must be reviewed by the Yahoo Ad Policy Team.

False or misleading claims are not acceptable. Advertisers may be asked to provide third-party substantiation to support certain claims.

Offers for online technical support services; or any other online or phone based products or services may not falsely claim or imply affiliation with another business, government entity, manufacturer, or association.

All ad components must be accurate and relevant to the ultimate offer.

Landing pages must lead to a fully functional web page that renders properly on all devices.

Landing pages must directly relate to both the ad text and the product that is ultimately offered to consumers.

Don’t mislead users with the ad text, image or video, or the “sponsored by” label or any combination of the elements.

Images or videos must be relevant, recognizable, and appropriate to the advertised product. There should be a clear, simple, and logical link between the supplied image or video and the ad message to users.

The word “free” is recognized as a strong inducement in advertising copy. An offer may be described as “free” provided that all conditions for obtaining the “free” product or service are clearly and conspicuously disclosed. Advertising must comply with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines concerning “free” offers, which may be found at FTC Guidance on Free. Although compliance with FTC guidelines is required, it does not equate to compliance with Yahoo advertising policies.

Specifically, if a product or service in a promotion or advertising creative is described as “free,” and the consumer must meet certain conditions or make payments or purchases in order to receive the free item (e.g., paying shipping & handling fees, completing consumer surveys or providing personal information), the existence of those conditions must be clearly and conspicuously disclosed in the advertisement and in close proximity to the offer.

All “free” offers must be reviewed and approved by the Yahoo Ad Policy team.

APAC: If the banner contains a lucky draw, contest or sweepstakes, etc, please submit the campaign mechanic, as well as terms and conditions of the campaign, and the relevant permit (eg : CID permit) for our legal review. Please put "Terms and Conditions apply" on the banner.

Please also refer to the section NEGATIVE OPTION MARKETING for related information.

Products or services and landing pages that use techniques deemed to be low quality by Yahoo, are not acceptable. This includes but is not limited to:

• Landing pages that feature sponsored links, display ads or other advertising as the primary content.
• Ads or landing pages that spawn popups or popunders.
• Ad text that includes user testimonials without adequate context and substantiation.
• Services that are offered for free by the government and offered by third parties without adding any additional value to the user, such as green card lotteries.
• Display and Native ads promoting body branding, piercings or tattoos.
• Ads promoting the sale of live animals as well as products obtained from or the sale of endangered or threatened species.

Use of any Yahoo-related logos, brand names (including but not limited to Yahoo logos, AOL logos, or any logo under the Yahoo umbrella) on partner’s and advertiser’s creatives and linking urls without express permission is prohibited. Requests to use Yahoo logos will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Upon ad approval, advertiser’s sales person must contact the Rights and Clearances team (trademarks-renamed-ilist@yahooinc.com) in Legal to obtain the appropriate licensing agreement.

Advertisements and landing pages that mimic a news format or otherwise try to hide their commercial nature are not acceptable.

Text or images, (whether on the ad creative, landing page, or both), that are utilized to make a user believe that they are viewing coverage from a newspaper or TV news report, or an impartial blog or product review site, are not acceptable.

Requirements For Landing Pages

The requirements below do not apply to a company's press releases or blog posts that are hosted on the company's domain, and which are intended for branding or informational purposes. The requirements do apply to landing pages that are designed to promote a particular product or service, or for lead generation or direct response marketing.

-The page must be clearly labeled as an advertisement. The disclosure must be:

• In the same font size as the main text or larger.
• In a readable font color that stands out from the page background (for example, light gray text on a white background is often not readable)
• At the top of page and viewable on screen without scrolling
• Separate and distinct from other text on the page
• Labeled with a) Advertisement; b) Sponsored, or; c) Advertorial or similar
• APAC: "広告 ×××" (Advertisement)", "Ad" or "PR"

-Offer expiration dates that update automatically are not acceptable.

-All links must work as labeled. For example, links to comments, email, Facebook, and other “content” categories cannot lead directly to the offer page.

-Misrepresentations (express, implied, or by omission) that comments express the views of independent consumers are unacceptable.

-Tactics such as misrepresenting the location of any person depicted in the advertisement or website when such location is actually determined by the use of geo-location information provided by a user’s IP address are unacceptable (e.g., claims that a person depicted on the website is “a stay-at-home mom from Dulles, VA,” when “Dulles, VA” changes based on the location of the user).

The following words are not allowed in the creative or the url, title or header of the landing page:

• “Breaking News”, “Shocking News”, “Live from WABC News”, “Consumer News”, “Consumer Alerts”, “Consumer Reviews”, “Consumer Reports” or similar terms that are utilized to make a user believe that they are viewing coverage from a newspaper or TV news report
• "Comparison" or similar terms
• "Blog"
• Newspaper naming conventions - Ledger, Tribune, Journal, Times, Post, Register, Ledger, etc.
• News station naming conventions - News 9 Eyewitness News, Special Report
• Newspaper, news station, or established magazines' naming conventions in the domain.

The following cannot appear on the landing page:

• Weather reports
• Market ticker
• Images or videos of newscasters
• False endorsements of the product (e.g., by celebrities or medical professionals)
• Names and logos that mimic major media outlets

Advertorials pages that promote multiple products or services, rather than one specific product, will be approved on a case-by-case basis at Yahoo's discretion, provided that the pages are compliant with the above guidelines, Yahoo Ad Policies, and do not aggregate restricted or heavily-regulated offers.