Self-regulation programs deter many advertising practices, but there are inherent limitations to its power in the United States. U.S. media vehicle managers’ advertising acceptance policies may influence advertising content, but their decisions often are focused on priorities other than consumer protection. This article describes the power limitations of U.S. self-regulation and media advertising acceptance policies, showing how self-regulation alone is unable to fulfill the public policy goal of discouraging false advertising during government deregulation.
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