EXCLUSIVE: FTC Probe Expands to IAS Over Alleged Ad Boycotts, Lawsuit Reveals
An FTC investigation into alleged advertiser boycotts of conservative media has expanded to include Integral Ad Science (IAS), as revealed in a lawsuit.Summary
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating Integral Ad Science (IAS) alongside 15 other media credibility organizations for alleged collusion in boycotting conservative media platforms. This investigation, launched under Andrew Ferguson, involves Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) requesting extensive documentation. The nonprofit Global Disinformation Index (GDI) filed a lawsuit claiming the CID it received was retaliatory and violated its First Amendment rights, and recently amended its complaint to name IAS as another recipient. IAS reportedly cut ties with GDI amid the FTC scrutiny, discontinuing its use of GDI’s risk assessments. Other organizations like Media Matters and NewsGuard have also received CIDs and are challenging the investigation in court, alleging retaliation for their criticism of Elon Musk and perceived censorship. The FTC’s probe follows a congressional investigation that found potential collusion within the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) to withhold ad spend from right-leaning outlets, leading to a lawsuit from X (formerly Twitter) against GARM.
(Source：Adweek)