Are The New Facebook Advertising Rules - A Duck & Cover?

Continuing story...

At announcement the Facebook advertising rules changes seemed harsh and prohibitive leaving you to wonder why.

For many small and large businesses running value promotions through the Facebook platform incentives, rewards and contests were a effective method to draw in, reward and to create viral buzz. Facebook recently changed its advertising rules which alters the method and ease in deploying these commonly used methods.

Basically forcing any incentives, name collection into third party apps and prohibiting the perform a Facebook action to enter contests.

The Duck

Recent post by TechCrunch maybe shining a little light onto the reasonings for these changes.

The ScamVille Lawsuit, which in a nutshell is a class action lawsuit against Zynga, RockYou, Offerpal Media SuperReward and others and guilt by association include Facebook, Myspace. The suit claims that users of the online games or promotional landings were encouraged to complete offers in exchange for points or contest prizes and rewards.

Well, some offers, were not as transparent as they seemed leaving some with unexpected charges on credit cards for dubious services or products that they felt mislead into accepting

And Cover

Enter in "3rd party Application" collection terms as well as the new rules disallowing any "post to wall to win or Fan our Facebook to.." language use. Basically removing any language that utilizes the Facebook name as a condition to win, receive an offer or perform a interaction with.

Facebooks new advertising terms language seems to be a liability disassociation from 3rd parties utilizing Facebook in ways that may leave them open to situations such as the ScamVille Class Action.

It's Sad

That the ad networks in this case did not take the time to evaluate the advertisers offers within their networks. By not taking the time to do so, they it cost them their creditability and brand image but potentially financially as well. 

Ad networks that don't take the time to week out the "dubious offer-ers" could experience a  DUCK & COVER from their legitimate, transparent advertiser.

I for one would not place any client ads nor recommend that they do so within a network known to allow questionable ads that could possibly be associated or within proximity of their offer or brand .

Companies with bogus offers, hidden charges and intent  just alienated potential clients and effected the legitimate advertisers within their network.

Even Sadder

Ad networks and incentives can be a value tool in helping business attract and interact with their market place and also reward their client base for loyalty.

Facebook provided a venue for businesses to interact, engage and reward customers in a open social format that equalized the "its affordable to do" for many small, medium and even large business in todays challenging economy.

Now because of a few bad eggs, the Ducks are now covering,  making marketing, customer service and traditional drives to increase fan base on the Facebook network more difficult as well as effecting user trust and engagement within facebook as well as with ad network offers.

 

What do you think about this whole situation?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted via web from Media Collective -Social Marketing, Advertising And Nerdy Things MindShare & Beyond