Editorial and Advertising Standards

Overall Editorial Standards

At RealAge, our mission is simple: to provide you with the best science-based health and lifestyle content available, and to present it to you in a way that's personalized, user-friendly, and easy to understand.

In the spirit of excellent journalism, RealAge prizes objectivity, balance, accuracy, and reliability.

• Our health assessments are based on peer-reviewed research and then re-reviewed by our medical/scientific advisers.
• Our editorial team comprises health editors, writers, and researchers who represent decades of expertise in communicating health information and setting high editorial standards.
• Our advertising policies clearly distinguish -- through graphics and text -- independent editorial content from paid promotional information.

Overall Advertising Standards

Advertisers who promote their products and services through RealAge help make it possible for us to keep all of the health tests, tools, tips, and information on RealAge free. RealAge has set clear guidelines that govern our association with advertisers and sponsors. The interpretation and enforcement of these guidelines is dictated by RealAge, as are all other issues associated with third-party materials that appear on our Web site or in other RealAge media (such as our e-mails). All advertising material and sponsored content is clearly labeled so that readers understand when an advertiser owns and controls those materials.

1. Standards for RealAge Editorial That Contains Ads

Advertisers will never influence independent RealAge content, nor will information or materials from advertisers be presented as RealAge editorial. For any RealAge page -- electronic or print -- on which advertising materials appear, RealAge maintains complete control of content created by RealAge. Elements that are controlled by an advertiser will always be clearly identified.

• Advertisements within RealAge content may take the form of graphic ads, text ads, and video ads and will be clearly labeled with phrases such as "Advertisement," "From our advertiser," "From our sponsor," etc.
• All advertiser materials are screened by RealAge staff in an effort to ensure they are accurate, legal, and truthful. RealAge will never knowingly permit advertisements that are deceptive or offensive or that make unreasonable or unlikely claims.
• RealAge does not necessarily endorse products or services advertised on its pages.
• RealAge does not allow advertisements that interrupt or detract from the user's experience of RealAge editorial content, unless the user initiates and controls the interaction with the ad.
• Individual pieces of sponsor-controlled content (articles, videos, advice, etc.) that are included within RealAge editorial will be clearly labeled to show who has editorial ownership of the sponsor-controlled piece.
• Anytime independent RealAge content contains links to sponsor-controlled content, those links will be clearly labeled as leading to sponsors so that users can make an informed decision to click them or not. Phrases such as "Health information from one of our sponsors," "Featured sponsor," "From our sponsor," etc., are used.

2. Standards for Content Provided by Advertisers

RealAge allows third-party clients to own and control all content within certain client-owned centers. RealAge does not review the content for accuracy, balance, or objectivity. RealAge will never present advertiser content within these sections as RealAge editorial, and the difference between advertiser-controlled centers and RealAge-controlled centers will be clearly delineated. Here are the ways in which the differences between advertiser-controlled content and RealAge-controlled editorial are spelled out:

• An advertiser's or sponsor's control of the content is clearly described in the heading or introduction for each sponsor-controlled section. These headings or introductions will also include sponsor logos and copyright symbols.
• All references to advertisers, sponsors, or sponsor-controlled content will link back to this Editorial and Advertising Standards page to allow users to clearly understand our advertising standards and practices.
• RealAge does not necessarily endorse the products or services promoted in advertiser-controlled sections.

3. Standards for Jointly Controlled Content

RealAge may occasionally work with a third-party client to produce educational health information. These jointly controlled pieces are clearly labeled so readers understand that the material is under the control of both RealAge and a third-party client. The client may also include advertising in these pieces that is under its sole control. The difference between jointly controlled content and advertising controlled solely by the client will be clearly defined through text labels, introductions, and graphic cues.

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If you are unsatisfied with the quality of any content on RealAge or have any questions about our Editorial and Advertising Standards, we'd like to know. Please e-mail us at info@RealAge.com.

These Editorial and Advertising Standards were last reviewed and updated on November 30, 2009.