Advertisers in Silicon Hill are expressing alarm over new rules for online advertising that have become the focus of fierce lobbying by tech giants such as Facebook and Google.
A group of more than 1,000 industry executives sent a letter Wednesday to the White House to ask the administration to reconsider the ban on paid digital ads, arguing it would have a “disastrous impact” on the tech industry and the economy.
The group said it would ask for the administration’s support for new rules that would require websites to remove ads from sites with fewer than 15,000 visitors a day, and allow for online ad disclosure.
“Our industry is already struggling to survive, with the cost of labor and the cost to consumers of advertising being the most difficult hit,” the letter reads.
Among other things, the group wants a review of current laws that allow the removal of paid digital advertisements without the consent of the owners, and for a review to ensure that all websites comply with current and future regulations.
Google and Facebook have been working on a plan to end the ban and have agreed to work on a joint effort to allow for the voluntary removal of ads from Google’s sites.
The companies also have pledged to give the FTC more leeway to enforce the new rules.
This new measure has been endorsed by a number of tech companies, including Apple, Microsoft, and Google, according to a statement from the groups, including the American Chamber of Commerce.
Last month, Facebook said it was rolling out a voluntary update of its advertising policy to comply with new rules and would not accept advertising from websites that are not participating in the voluntary change.
The Facebook updated policy will go into effect on July 17.
Advertisers said the White on Tuesday released a list of ad-blocking programs that it would consider when determining if an ad should be allowed to run on the site.
In the letter, the CEOs of Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter said the administration should provide guidance on how to respond to the new regulations.