TCO Advertising Policy
Effective Date: 2/16/2025
(Guidelines subject to change without notice)

Prohibited Advertising Content

TCO is committed to maintaining its mission as a nonprofit organization in compliance with its 501(c)(3) status. As such, we do not accept advertising that promotes:

  • Alcohol
  • Tobacco products
  • Firearms and weapons
  • Fireworks
  • Healthcare services (including clinics, hospitals, medical procedures, lab testing)
  • Legal services (including malpractice claims)
  • Pornography or sexually explicit content
  • Gambling and lottery
  • Political campaigns, endorsements, or lobbying
  • Social causes that promote specific advocacy efforts
  • Religious messaging or endorsements
  • Comparative advertising (ads must not mention competitive brands within banners)

Advertising Format Restrictions

To ensure a seamless user experience and protect audience privacy, TCO does not allow advertisements that:

  • Utilize pop-ups, auto-play audio, or surveys
  • Contain forms to collect personally identifiable information
  • Install cookies, applets, or tracking files that transmit user data without explicit consent

Advertiser and Sponsor Criteria

All advertisers and sponsors must adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Ads must not make unsubstantiated claims, particularly regarding health, safety, or financial gain. TCO reserves the right to request supporting documentation for claims made in advertisements.
  • Advertisers must ensure that their ads do not imply TCO endorsement of their product or service.
  • TCO retains final approval of all advertisements, sponsorship messages, banners, and copy linked or adjacent to TCO content. This includes ad placement and verification before publication.
  • Ads, logos, and icons must be visibly separate from editorial content, ensuring that they do not appear as part of TCO’s published material.
  • Collecting and selling user mailing lists without explicit user consent is strictly prohibited.
  • All market research or promotions must include full disclosure of terms, which must be displayed or linked to within the advertisement.

Editorial Independence and Advertising Review

  • TCO maintains complete editorial independence from advertisers and sponsors. Advertisers have no influence over:
    • Editorial content
    • Search engine results within TCO’s platforms
    • Placement or ranking of content
  • Advertisers may purchase priority listings, but this does not imply endorsement by TCO.
  • TCO does not co-brand its news, research, or editorial content with advertiser products or services.
  • TCO reserves the right to reject, cancel, or remove any ad at its discretion. If an ad is removed, TCO will notify the advertiser and provide an explanation.

Network and Exchange Advertising

  • Ads served through third-party networks or exchanges are reviewed regularly to ensure compliance with TCO’s advertising standards.
  • While TCO strives to prevent non-compliant ads from appearing, due to the nature of programmatic advertising, some ads may be displayed before review.
  • If any ad is found to violate these guidelines or runs counter to TCO’s mission, please report it immediately to [contact information].

These guidelines provide general guidance and are subject to modification at TCO’s discretion to ensure continued adherence to our nonprofit mission and ethical advertising standards.