General Guidelines

General Guidelines

1. General Guidelines

1.1 Violation of Current Laws and Major Recommendations

• 1.1.1 Content that violates current laws and regulations cannot be advertised.

• 1.1.2 Certain advertisements may be restricted based on global regulations—such as the US FTC (Federal Trade Commission), European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), and EU DSA (Digital Services Act)—as well as recommendations from equivalent associations or organizations.

1.2 Sensuality and Obscenity

• 1.2.1 Obscene or suggestive expressions that involve excessive physical exposure or may cause sexual humiliation cannot be advertised.

• 1.2.2 Content depicting acts of sexual violence, such as rape, cannot be advertised.

• 1.2.3 Phrases that modify the standard "age rating for each country" (e.g., ESRB, PEGI, etc.) cannot be used in advertisements.

Apart from internationally recognized age rating terms such as '18+' or 'Adult Only,' terms related to '18/19 Restricted,' the '18/19 Mark,' or other adult-oriented phrases are prohibited.

• 1.2.4 If the landing page connected to the advertisement contains suggestive or obscene content, the advertisement may be restricted during the preliminary review stage.

1.3 Violence, Horror, Vulgarity, Hatred, and Offensiveness

• 1.3.1 Content that creates excessive anxiety through extreme violence or horrifying expressions cannot be advertised.

• 1.3.2 Content that may cause revulsion is prohibited (e.g., surgery scenes, enlarged views of body parts, tattoos used to disparage specific groups or incite hatred).

• 1.3.3 Content that causes offense through the use of profanity, slang, abusive expressions, or vulgar language is prohibited.

• 1.3.4 Even if the language or imagery is commonly used, content that causes excessive discomfort to users cannot be advertised (e.g., descriptions or images related to body odors, excrement, oral debris, bad breath, or bathroom-related themes).

1.4 Infringement of Third-Party Rights

• 1.4.1 Content that risks infringing on the privacy and freedom of individuals, such as the distribution of personal information, cannot be advertised.

• 1.4.2 Use of another person's portrait rights without legitimate authority or infringement of intellectual property rights, such as trademarks or copyrights, is prohibited.

1.5 Falsehood, Exaggeration, Deception, Comparison, and Slander

• 1.5.1 Content that presents false or unverified information as fact cannot be advertised.

  • Expressions that may mislead, confuse, or deceive users may be restricted.

    • Example 1: Failing to state relevant conditions for discounts or refunds that only apply under specific circumstances.

    • Example 2: Indicating that a product/service is only available until a certain time (e.g., "Closing soon," "Until 3 PM only") when sales actually continue after the stated time.

• 1.5.2 Content that omits important information or emphasizes partial facts to mislead people cannot be advertised.

• 1.5.3 Expressions that lead internet users to mistake the content for a real-life event cannot be used.

• 1.5.4 Attracting users through content that has low relevance to the advertiser or the campaign objective is prohibited.

• 1.5.5 Advertisements that differ from the facts or continue to run after an event has ended are not permitted.

• 1.5.6 Regardless of factual accuracy, content that slanders other products cannot be advertised.

• 1.5.7 Unfairly comparing other companies or products is prohibited.

• 1.5.8 Superlative expressions can only be used if they can be verified on the landing page or if official evidentiary materials are submitted.

  • If a report of a violation of the "Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising" is received, the advertiser must submit explanatory materials for the superlative expressions used. Failure to provide official data may result in a request for modification or suspension of the advertisement.

  • When using environment-related terms like 'Eco-friendly' or 'Non-toxic,' advertisers must submit certificates from authorized institutions or objective empirical data. Vague expressions must not be used to deceive consumers.

• 1.5.9 When using "content including recommendations or reviews" (including landing pages), advertisers must comply with the "Fair Trade Laws and Guidelines" of each country (e.g., the US FTC Act).

  • Reviews must be based on the actual experience of the person who used the product.

  • If there is an economic relationship between the advertiser and the reviewer, this must be clearly disclosed.

  • The obligation to clearly label the content as an advertisement using terms like 'Sponsored' or 'Ad' must be fulfilled.

• 1.5.10 User reviews or similar content cannot be used in communication service-related advertising areas.

  • Advertisements that include product/service experiences that could be mistaken for genuine user reviews may be restricted to prevent confusion with organic content (e.g., "I tried it," "Recommended by a friend," "I bought it too," "I signed the contract," "It wasn't there," "It's delicious," etc.).

• 1.5.11 Generative AI Material and Service Notification: When advertising materials created with generative AI or AI-based services, the following must be observed to prevent user confusion and misuse of technology:

  • Mandatory Labeling (By Type):

    • Images/Videos: A visible watermark (the text "AI Generated" or a logo) of an identifiable size must be permanently displayed within the material.

    • Audio: For voice/audio materials, a notification stating "This voice was generated by AI" must be included within the first 2 seconds of playback.

    • Deepfake Measures: For high-resolution virtual content easily confused with real people or objects, it must be clearly disclosed as a virtual output.

  • Mandatory Service Pre-notification: If the product/service itself is AI-based (e.g., AI chatbot, AI editor), users must be informed at the beginning of the landing page or in the terms of use that the service is operated by artificial intelligence.

  • Protection of Intellectual Property: To protect NAVER WEBTOON creators and IP rights, advertisements for AI technology/services specialized in webtoon character implementation or story writing are, in principle, restricted.

• 1.5.12 General Purpose AI Services (Allowed):

  • AI services used for multiple purposes not limited to a specific field can be advertised (e.g., Wrtn, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, etc.).

• 1.5.12.2 Graphics/Generative Software with AI Features (Allowed):

  • Software services providing image generation, editing, and design functions using AI technology can be advertised (e.g., Adobe, Canva, Midjourney, and other simple image generation specialized services).

• 1.5.12.3 AI Services Specialized in Character and Story Generation (Prohibited):

  • To protect the core elements of webtoon services, the media policy, and creators/IP, AI services specialized in character implementation or story writing are restricted from advertising (e.g., Character.ai, ZETA, etc.).

1.6 Infringement of Universal Social Sentiments

• 1.6.1 Content that promotes gambling or excessive speculative behavior cannot be advertised.

• 1.6.2 Content that encourages or justifies unscientific lifestyles, such as superstition, cannot be advertised.

• 1.6.3 Health secrets or psychical phenomena that are not medically or scientifically verified cannot be advertised.

• 1.6.4 Content that discriminates based on race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation is prohibited. Additionally, content that ridicules or inappropriately cites symbols or clothing of specific cultures, potentially causing "Cultural Appropriation" controversies, is prohibited.

• 1.6.5 Content intended for suicide, or that beautifies/aids suicide and risks inciting suicidal urges, cannot be advertised.

• 1.6.6 Content that beautifies crimes, criminals, or criminal organizations cannot be advertised.

• 1.6.7 Dangerous Products and Services: The following cannot be advertised:

  • Dangerous weapons such as firearms and knives designed to harm others.

  • Explosives and educational content on making explosives.

  • Vaporizers and related accessories.

  • Drug abuse.

  • Content harmful to mental health.

• 1.6.8 Other content that infringes upon universal social sentiments or risks causing social disruption cannot be advertised.

• 1.6.9 When advertising virtual assets, NFTs, or high-risk derivatives, an "Investment Risk Warning" must be included. Definitive expressions that mislead users, such as "Guaranteed Principal" or "Fixed Returns," cannot be used.

1.7 Youth Protection

• 1.7.1 In principle, the sale, rental, distribution, or exposure of "Harmful Substances to Youth" and "Harmful Media to Youth," as designated by the youth protection laws and guidelines of each country, is prohibited.

  • Harmful substances include alcohol, tobacco, narcotics, hallucinogenic substances, and other items that can seriously damage the physical or mental health of youth.

  • Alcohol and tobacco advertisements must follow strict local regulations and may be restricted accordingly.

  • Among hallucinogenic substances, butane gas may be allowed only for general brand promotion purposes and not for sale, rental, or distribution.

  • For narcotics, hallucinogens, and other harmful substances, no advertisements are permitted except for those with a public interest purpose.

• 1.7.2 The following types of internet advertisements cannot be distributed to youth:

  • Suggestive or obscene content that stimulates sexual desire in youth.

  • Content that may incite violence or criminal impulses in youth.

  • Content that stimulates or beautifies various forms of violence, including sexual violence, and drug abuse.

  • Antisocial or unethical content that hinders the formation of sound character and citizenship in youth.

1.8 Infringement of User Experience

• 1.8.1 Advertisements that interfere with internet use or cause confusion cannot be executed.

  • Content including excessive shaking or blinking effects that cause visual fatigue.

  • Audio that plays automatically without active user intervention or is excessively loud.

  • Expressions suggesting system or network problems/errors.

  • Excessive tricks that may confuse the user.

  • False phrases or features (e.g., mouse pointers, play buttons) used to induce clicks.

  • Important information that is difficult to identify visually (due to size, color, etc.).

  • Use of Dark Patterns that induce unintended subscriptions or payments through user error or mistake (e.g., hiding automatic payment transitions after a free trial or intentionally making the cancellation button hard to find).

• 1.8.2 Advertisements cannot be linked if the landing page causes user inconvenience:

  • If the primary content (product, event, etc.) indicated in the ad material is not found on the landing page.

  • Landing pages that do not load or function normally.

  • Landing pages with more than one destination (though multiple landing pages for A/B testing are allowed).

  • Incomplete or unprofessional landing pages.

  • Landing pages displaying 5 or more pop-ups or using pop-unders.

  • Directly inducing login or membership registration without providing other content.

  • Installing programs or collecting personal information without consent.

  • Inducing changes to the user's computer environment, such as changing the homepage or installing toolbars.

  • Landing pages that cannot be closed by the user.

  • Connecting to another page after closing the landing page or reopening after a set time.

  • Failure to return to the previous page immediately when using the 'back' button on a mobile web landing page.

  • Making it difficult to return to the original app (ad click screen) from a mobile app landing page.

  • Pages that are not optimized for the specific device (PC/Mobile).

  • Landing pages lacking advertiser information or contact details as required by local e-commerce laws.

Note: Required information such as business name and contact details must be provided in accordance with each country’s relevant e-commerce laws.

1.9 WEBTOON Service Policy

• 1.9.1 Advertisements may be restricted according to WEBTOON service policies:

  • Advertisements for services in competition with WEBTOON (webtoons, web novels, books) are prohibited.

  • Similar services (including apps, games using webtoon/web novel IP, movies, etc.) cannot be advertised without prior review by the Webtoon Advertising Manager.

• 1.9.2 Advertisements that may affect the normal operation of WEBTOON services cannot proceed.

• 1.9.3 Material that could damage the brand image of WEBTOON cannot be executed.

  • If an advertisement has the potential to become a social issue or faces severe user protest, modification may be requested even during the campaign.

  • Ads may be restricted if the content or image quality is deemed problematic (low resolution, low quality, etc.).

• 1.9.4 Creator and IP Protection:

  • Materials that slander webtoon creators, defame their reputation, or distort storylines to form negative public opinion cannot be used.

  • If an advertiser uses WEBTOON content (images, dialogue, etc.) as AI training data without permission or processes it into ad material without authority, the advertisement will be suspended immediately.

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2. Other Related Matters

• 2.1 Inspection results may vary slightly depending on the product's position, size, type, and how problematic parts are expressed.

  • Fixed-type products may be inspected more strictly than general CPM products.

  • Premium products may be inspected more strictly than other products.

  • Ad materials before expansion may be inspected more strictly than materials after expansion.

  • Static image materials may be inspected more strictly than a single frame passing by in a video or Flash.

  • Stricter standards may apply to products that have a larger impact on internet users.

• 2.2 Advertisements that fail to receive a suitability decision from external self-regulatory bodies may be prohibited.

• 2.3 Compliance with Country-Specific Regulations:

  • France: Pursuant to the Toubon Law (Loi Toubon), the use of the French language is mandatory; translations must be provided if a foreign language is used.

• 2.4 Country-Specific AI Regulation Compliance (Basic Provisions + Alpha):

  • European Union (EU): Compliance with the EU AI Act and DSA is required. Advertising utilizing high-risk AI technology is prohibited. Machine-learning-based watermarks (including metadata) for deepfakes and AI-generated content are recommended.

  • United States (US): FTC Consumer Protection Guidelines: When using AI-generated testimonials or virtual influencers, it must be stated that they are not real people. Deceptive advertising practices are strictly prohibited.

  • China (CN): Generative AI Service Management Law: Only AI models meeting national control standards can be used. Official identification labels (watermarks) prescribed by authorities must be applied.

  • France (FR): Compliance with Loi n° 2016-41: For advertisements where body parts have been modified or generated by AI, the phrase "Photographie retouchée" must be displayed.

  • Japan (JP):

    1. Compliance with the AI Promotion Act and Guidelines: Ensuring transparency for AI outputs and making efforts to prevent user confusion is mandatory.

    2. Strict Adherence to Stealth Marketing Regulations: Disguising AI-generated content as genuine user reviews is strictly prohibited. Materials must be labeled with 'PR' or 'Ad.'

    3. Copyright Reliance: Pursuant to Japanese Copyright Law, materials that have learned from or generated characteristic expressions of a specific creator or IP cannot be executed.

• 2.5 Please note that advertising may be prohibited for other reasons not mentioned above based on internal media review.

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