Big ad agencies settle US FTC probe into alleged boycott over political content

By Jonathan Stempel

Wed, April 15, 2026 astatine 10:13 AM CDT 2 min read

By Jonathan Stempel

April 15 (Reuters) - Three ample advertizing agencies settled a U.S. Federal Trade Commission probe accusing them of violating antitrust ‌law by conspiring to boycott online media platforms based connected ‌political contented they didn't like, the bureau said connected Wednesday.

Investigators accused Dentsu, Publicis and WPP ​of steering clients' ads distant from platforms featuring "disfavored" viewpoints, ostensibly to beforehand "brand safety" and people misinformation identified by left-leaning media watchdogs.

The FTC said websites containing specified contented risked becoming ineligible for advertisement placements due to the fact that of collusion.

Its ailment filed ‌in the Fort Worth, ⁠Texas, national tribunal cited alleged concerns astir misinformation connected Elon Musk's X and the blimpish website Breitbart.

“This unlawful collusion not ⁠only damaged our marketplace, but besides distorted the marketplace of ideas by discriminating against code and ideas that fell beneath the unlawfully agreed-upon floor," FTC ​Chairman Andrew ​Ferguson said successful a statement.

Wednesday's settlements ​with the FTC and 8 ‌Republican-led U.S. states necessitate Dentsu, Publicis and GroupM to halt alleged efforts to acceptable communal marque information standards, oregon usage "exclusion lists" erstwhile placing ads.

The advertisement agencies did not admit oregon contradict wrongdoing successful agreeing to settle. Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Texas, Utah and West Virginia joined the settlements.

In ‌a statement, Dentsu said it was committed ​to operating transparently, with integrity and successful ​compliance with the law. WPP ​said separately it was committed to giving clients unbiased ‌advice connected wherever to spot ads. ​Publicis did not ​immediately respond to requests for comment.

Last June, the FTC approved Omnicom's $13.5 cardinal acquisition of rival Interpublic truthful agelong arsenic the combined institution ​did not conspire to ‌steer advertisement dollars toward oregon distant from platforms based connected governmental ​content. The merger closed successful November.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel successful ​New York, Editing by Franklin Paul)