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ABOUT INFOWORLD
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The ASME guidelines for Web sites follow. The chief editors of all IDG U.S. publications
endorsed the expanded guidelines for their own Web sites. Those publications include CIO
Magazine, Computerworld, Federal Computer Week, GamePro Magazine, InfoWorld, The
Internet Industry Standard, Java World, NC World, PC Games, PC World, Publish,
Solutions Integrator, and SunWorld. THE IDG ADDITIONS ARE IN ALL CAPS.
ASME Guidelines for New Media
The same ASME principles that mandate distinct treatment of editorial content,
advertisements, and special advertising sections ("advertorials") in print publications also
apply to electronic editorial products bearing the names of print magazines or offering
themselves as electronic magazines. The dynamic technology of electronic pages and
hypertext links create high potential for reader confusion. Permitting such confusion
betrays reader trust and undermines the credibility not only of the offending online
publication or editorial product, but also of the publisher itself. Therefore, it is the
responsibility of each online publication to make clear to its users which online content is
editorial and which is advertising and to prevent any juxtaposition that gives the
impression that editorial material was created for, or influenced by, advertisers.
ASME is hereby calling on editors, publishers and advertisers to follow this set of
standards.
1. The home page and all subsequent pages of a publication's Web site should display the publication's name and logo prominently, in order to clarify who controls the content of the site. ALL EDITORIAL CONTENT IS UNDER THE SOLE CONTROL
OF EDITORS.
2. All online pages should clearly distinguish between editorial and advertising or sponsored content. If any content comes from a source other than the editors, it should be clearly labeled. A magazine's name or logo should not be used in a way that suggests editorial endorsement of an advertiser. The site's sponsorship policies should be clearly noted, either in text accompanying the article or on a disclosure page (see item 8), to clarify that the sponsor had no input regarding the content.
3. Hypertext links that appear within the editorial content of a site, including those within graphics, should be at the discretion of the editors. If links are paid for by advertisers, that should be disclosed to users. SYNONYMS SUCH AS 'SPONSORED BY,' 'BROUGHT
TO YOU BY,''UNDERWRITTEN BY,' OR 'SUPPORTED BY' CAN BE USED IN ADDITION TO
THE WORDS 'ADVERTISEMENT' OR 'ADVERTISING' BUT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS
REPLACEMENTS FOR THESE WORDS.
4. Special advertising or "advertorial" features should be labelled as such. THIS DOESN'T
PRECLUDE USE OF THE LOGO IN JOINT EDITORIAL PROJECTS BETWEEN AN IDG
PUBLICATION/WEB SITE AND ANOTHER PUBLICATION/WEB SITE. HOWEVER, THE LOGO
SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN A WAY THAT WOULD CAUSE READERS OR COMPANIES IN
THE INDUSTRY TO QUESTION THE PUBLICATION'S EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE AND
OBJECTIVITY.
5. To protect the brand, editors/producers should not permit their content to be used on an advertiser's site without an explanation of the relationship (e.g. "Reprinted with permission"). LINKS FROM EDITORIAL CONTENT TO ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE SITE ARE NOT
PERMITTED.
6. E-commerce commissions and other affiliate fees should be reported on a disclosure page, so users can see that the content is credible and free of commercial influence. Exact fees need not be mentioned, of course, but users who are concerned about underlying business relationships can be thus reassured. (See Conde Nast's statement at the bottom of the Epicurious home page regarding its relationship with its featured merchants.)
7. Advertisers or e-commerce partners should not receive preferential treatment in search engines, price comparisons and other applications presented under the content provider's brand. An editorial site should not try to vouch for others' tools that it may offer.
8. A website should respect the privacy of its users. If a site intends to collect information about its visitors—whether the data will be disseminated to third parties or not—it must offer users a chance to decline if they choose, through an "opt-out" option. As part of its privacy policy, the site should explain its use of cookies and other data collection methods and tell what it intends to do with the information it gleans. Potential benefits to the user—broader site access, better personalization features, etc.—should be presented as well.
THIS DOES NOT PRECLUDE ADS ON
SEARCH RESULTS PAGES AS LONG AS ALL SEARCH RESULTS ARE UNDER THE SOLE
CONTROL OF EDITORS.
9.WHERE TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE, EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO AVOID
INTENTIONALLY PLACING ADVERTISEMENTS NEXT TO EDITORIAL COVERAGE OF THE
SAME PRODUCT. THIS DOES NOT PRECLUDE ADS ON SEARCH RESULTS PAGES AS LONG
AS ALL SEARCH RESULTS ARE UNDER THE SOLE CONTROL OF EDITORS.
10.EACH SITE WILL PROVIDE A LINK FROM ITS HOME PAGE TO DATA ABOUT THE SITE,
INCLUDING INFORMATION ON HOW TO CONTACT THE EDITORS AS WELL AS THE SITE'S
POLICIES ON THE USE OF INFORMATION GATHERED IN REGISTRATION PROCESSES,
PRIVACY POLICIES, USE OF COOKIES, AND REUSE OF EMAIL ADDRESSES.
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