Federal Antimonopoly Service to read and fine context ads
Webplanet.ru
Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) employees learnt to read context ads in search engines. According to “Vedomosti”, now they may start fining for words in superior forms.
Local Department of the Federal Migration Service in Perm initiated this kind of case. Users complained that if you enter a phrase “the best taxis” and name a city in the Yandex search bar, you will get links to some particular site that belongs to “Vezet” company.
In FAS’s opinion it contravenes the advertizing law. The law says it is illegal to mention one’s superiority over the others, if it is not proved. It is the first time when FAS initiates a context ad case, not against the context itself but key words result in the search.
Experts devided on the matter whether superior forms of phrases contradict fair trade. Anyway, ads with superior forms can be found both in Yandex and Google search results. No matter what it is all about: taxis, restaurants or bikes. Meanwhile no one restricts advertisers on this issue, at least until the moment, when FAS clearly defines its attitude towards the issue.