Dive Brief:
- According to Facebook's official rules, uploading third-party branded content is not allowed, but some brands are skirting the issue and doing it anyway.
- For example, popular YouTube series Epic Meal Time recently uploaded a video sponsored by Chevy. And fellow YouTube series Taste Buds Travel posted a video sponsored by Ford.
- So far, Facebook hasn't taken any action against the third-party sponsored videos.
Dive Insight:
There could be a number of reasons why Facebook is turning a blind eye to the videos that are clearly violating its policy. One possibility is that the social media site could hope to follow in YouTube's footsteps. YouTube allows, and even encourages, unpaid branded content on its site because the platform knows that many brands will end up paying for advertising to cut through all the noise.
Another possibility: Facebook may want to veer from the YouTube approach and make it clear that it plans to take a cut from branded entertainment content on its platform.
