Reaching the right person with the right message at the right time has long been the cornerstone of advertising strategy. But in an era where misinformation spreads quickly and consumer trust is difficult to earn, advertisers must also consider the integrity of the content their ads appear alongside.
According to the World Economic Forum, experts across the globe have identified misinformation and disinformation as the most severe global risk over the next two years. While this threat affects everyone, it poses unique challenges for the advertising industry. More and more AI-generated content is flooding the internet, and AI is increasingly being used to create made-for-advertising sites (MFAs), which are filled with low-quality content at best and blatant mis- and disinformation at worst. In this context, marketing teams must double down on brand safety efforts. At the same time, advertisers have a responsibility to ensure their budgets don’t inadvertently fund the spread of misleading or harmful information.
That responsibility has grown harder to fulfill amidst recent content moderation rollbacks. Several platforms have eliminated or reduced their programs for regulating the spread of mis- and disinformation, instead opting for community-driven approaches that outsource content moderation to users rather than dedicated teams of professionals. Meta, for instance, recently removed its fact-checking program, instead adopting a user-sourced “Community Notes” approach (similar to the one used by X). The company also updated its Hateful Content guidelines to allow previously banned content to remain on the platform. These changes signal a broader industry trend—one that puts more onus on advertisers to ensure their media dollars align with brand safe, responsible content.
Amidst these challenges, it’s no surprise that brand safety and suitability are at the forefront of advertisers’ minds. In fact, 60% of programmatic advertisers say that it’s their biggest concern. The question is: How can advertisers take a proactive approach to misinformation to not only protect their brands but also build a safer, more trustworthy digital ecosystem?
Noor Naseer, Basis Technologies’ VP of Media Innovations & Technology, explored this challenge in detail in her presentation at SXSW 2025 in Austin. She unpacked how association with misinformation impacts brand perception and consumer trust, shared strategies for maintaining authenticity and credibility, offered tips for ensuring brand safety, and more. Check out the video below for all her insights and recommendations on how marketers can tackle advertising in the misinformation age:
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Want to dive further into Noor’s presentation? Click here to download the slides from her talk.
