News

WPP blacklists 2000 sites

WPP’s GroupM is launching a new digital media buying policy which includes the identification of 2000 sites in the US which contain and support pirated content.

According to GroupM, the new policy is designed to oppose online piracy in all its forms and to protect the copyright-protected, intellectual property of all content-producing companies.

The new policy also includes anti-piracy language for insertion orders that prohibits vendors from placing GroupM clients’ advertising on sites that support piracy or contain any illegally distributed content.

The site exclusion list will be updated on a continuing basis, with input from GroupM’s content-producing clients, and a link to the list will be included in all contracts and insertion orders.

“We’re serious about combating piracy and protecting our clients’ intellectual property as forcefully as we possibly can,” said GroupM Interaction global chief executive Rob Norman. “This policy extends to digital media buyers at all GroupM agencies, as well as other WPP companies like Team Detroit, which manages Ford’s media business.”

Martina Lacey, London