Advertising and partnerships
Genese may consider clearly labelled advertising or educational partnerships that fit an evidence-aware publication. This notice is current as of 5 October 2026.
1. Separation
Commercial placement is visually and editorially distinct from independent articles. Payment does not buy a favourable conclusion. For example, a labelled partnership panel appears in a separate visual module from an article's body text, using distinct styling so a reader can immediately tell the two apart. The practical consequence is that no amount of advertising spend changes how an article describes a method, a mechanism or a piece of equipment. An edge case involves a partner whose product is mentioned within an otherwise independent article; in that situation the commercial relationship is disclosed explicitly rather than left for the reader to infer. This separation is maintained consistently regardless of the size or duration of a given commercial relationship.
- a) Partnership content uses distinct visual styling separate from independent article text.
- b) Advertising spend does not influence how a method or product is described editorially.
- c) A commercial relationship mentioned within an article is disclosed explicitly, not left implied.
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2. Suitable categories
We consider services and products relevant to movement, education, equipment, travel and wellbeing when claims can be reviewed responsibly. For example, a training-equipment manufacturer whose product claims can be checked against its published specifications would fall within a category we are able to review responsibly. The practical consequence is that a category is accepted or declined based on whether its claims can actually be checked, not simply on general topical relevance to fitness. An edge case involves a product adjacent to our core subject matter, such as general sports travel; such a category may be considered where its claims remain modest and verifiable. Categories outside this list are evaluated individually rather than assumed to be acceptable by default.
- a) A category is accepted only where its claims can actually be checked against evidence.
- b) Adjacent categories, such as sports travel, are considered individually on their own merits.
- c) No category is assumed acceptable by default outside of individual review.
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3. Excluded claims
We do not accept guaranteed cures, deceptive before-and-after stories, false scarcity or unsupported medical outcomes. For example, an advertisement claiming a product will resolve a medical condition entirely, or implying a specific result by a specific date, would be declined regardless of the advertiser's size or budget. The practical consequence is that advertising on Genese is held to a similar factual standard as the site's own editorial content. An edge case involves a legitimate before-and-after comparison presented with appropriate context and without implying a typical or guaranteed result; such material may be considered individually, but a comparison implying universal results would not be accepted. We also decline placements referencing restricted categories such as alcohol, gambling, tobacco or unregulated supplements carrying medical claims.
- a) Claims implying a guaranteed or universal personal outcome are declined regardless of advertiser size.
- b) A contextualised comparison without implied universal results may be considered individually.
- c) Placements referencing alcohol, gambling, tobacco or unregulated supplement health claims are declined.
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4. Labelling
Paid, sponsored or affiliate material is identified in plain language near the relevant content. For example, a label reading "sponsored content" or "affiliate link" appears directly above or beside the relevant material rather than buried in a distant footer reference. The practical consequence is that a reader encountering the content can immediately understand its commercial nature without needing to search elsewhere on the page. An edge case involves an affiliate link embedded within otherwise independent editorial text; such a link carries its own nearby disclosure rather than relying on a single general notice at the top of the article. Labelling language is kept plain and direct rather than using vague or minimising terminology.
- a) Disclosure labels appear directly beside the relevant content, not only in a distant footer note.
- b) An affiliate link within editorial text carries its own nearby disclosure.
- c) Labelling uses plain, direct language rather than vague or minimising terminology.
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5. Audience respect
Targeting must not exploit anxiety about age, appearance, illness or athletic status. Readers should understand why an advertisement appears. For example, an advertisement implying that a reader's age itself is a problem requiring an urgent product solution would not meet this standard, regardless of the product being promoted. The practical consequence is that advertising on the site is held to the same respectful tone as the editorial content it sits alongside. An edge case involves general contextual placement, such as a training-equipment advertisement appearing near a strength-training article; this is considered acceptable relevance-based placement rather than anxiety-based targeting, provided the advertisement itself does not use shaming language. We review targeting language and placement context together when assessing a proposed partnership.
- a) Advertising implying a reader's age or body is itself a problem does not meet this standard.
- b) Relevance-based placement, such as equipment ads near training articles, is acceptable if respectfully worded.
- c) Targeting language and placement context are reviewed together before a partnership is approved.
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6. Data
Advertising partners do not receive Genese contact messages for their own outreach. Cookie processing follows the privacy and cookie policies. For example, a message a reader submits through the contact form remains within Genese's own records and is not shared with any advertising partner for marketing purposes. The practical consequence is that engaging with an advertisement does not place a reader on a separate marketing list controlled by that advertiser through Genese. An edge case involves analytics cookies that may record an aggregate interaction with a sponsored section, consistent with the cookie policy; such aggregate data does not include a reader's personal contact details. Any advertising-related data processing is bound by the same retention and access principles described in the privacy policy.
- a) Contact-form messages remain within Genese's own records and are not shared for partner outreach.
- b) Aggregate analytics on sponsored sections do not include a reader's personal contact details.
- c) Advertising-related data processing follows the same retention and access principles as the privacy policy.
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7. Review
We may reject or remove a placement if its claims change, evidence weakens or the experience becomes misleading. For example, if an advertiser later alters a product's claims to something broader than what was originally approved, the placement is reviewed again and may be withdrawn pending clarification. The practical consequence is that approval of a placement is not a one-time, permanent decision but an ongoing condition tied to continued accuracy. An edge case involves a placement that becomes outdated due to a regulatory change affecting its category; such a placement would be reviewed promptly once the change becomes known to us. We aim to remove or correct a flagged placement within a reasonable period after confirming a genuine concern.
- a) Approval of a placement is an ongoing condition, not a one-time permanent decision.
- b) A regulatory change affecting a category prompts prompt review of any related placement.
- c) A confirmed concern leads to removal or correction of the placement within a reasonable period.
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8. Editorial independence
Editors retain control over article selection, wording, corrections and conclusions regardless of commercial relationships. For example, a commercial partner cannot request that an article's conclusion be rewritten to favour their product, even where that partner funds a separate, clearly labelled advertisement elsewhere on the site. The practical consequence is that editorial content and paid placement remain governed by entirely separate decision processes. An edge case involves a partner requesting a correction to an unrelated article mentioning a competing product; such a request is evaluated using the same correction standards applied to any other reader, with no special weight given to commercial status. This separation is treated as a core operating principle rather than a negotiable term of any partnership agreement.
- a) A commercial partner cannot request favourable rewording of an unrelated article's conclusion.
- b) Correction requests from partners are evaluated by the same standard applied to any reader.
- c) Editorial independence is treated as non-negotiable in any partnership agreement.
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9. Complaints
Readers may report a misleading placement by naming its page, wording and reason for concern. For example, a report describing the exact page URL, the specific wording that seemed misleading and a brief explanation of why gives us enough to locate and assess the placement quickly. The practical consequence of specific reporting is a faster review compared with a general complaint about advertising on the site overall. An edge case involves a placement that has already been scheduled for rotation or removal; even so, we review the report to confirm whether the underlying concern reflects a broader pattern worth addressing. We treat every reader report about advertising with the same seriousness as a correction request about editorial content.
- a) Reports naming a specific page, wording and concern are reviewed faster than general complaints.
- b) Even a placement already scheduled for rotation is reviewed against the reported concern.
- c) Advertising reports are treated with the same seriousness as editorial correction requests.
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10. Contact
Contact Genese at Jalan Kemang Raya No. 12, Mampang Prapatan, Jakarta Selatan, 12730, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia, or (021) 7586-9172. For example, a prospective advertising partner can call during Jakarta business hours to discuss a proposed category before submitting formal materials for review. The practical consequence of offering a direct phone line alongside a postal address is that both prospective partners and readers with concerns have more than one practical way to reach us. An edge case involves an international partner in a different time zone; inquiries are reviewed on the next Jakarta working day regardless of when they are received. Written proposals may also be sent by post to the address above as an alternative to a phone inquiry.
- a) Prospective partners may discuss a proposed category by phone before formal submission.
- b) International inquiries are reviewed on the next Jakarta working day.
- c) Written proposals may be sent by post as an alternative to a phone inquiry.
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11. Revision log
5 October 2026: advertising standards refreshed for the 2026 editorial resource and its reader-first language. For example, this revision clarified the excluded-claims section to explicitly name restricted categories such as unregulated supplements carrying medical claims. The practical consequence of logging this update is that a prospective advertiser or returning reader can see when these standards were last substantively reviewed. An edge case involves a future minor wording clarification that does not change which categories or claims are accepted; such a change may not require a new dated entry on its own. Material changes to these advertising standards will be added to this log with their own date going forward.
- a) 5 October 2026: current version, clarifying excluded claims and restricted categories explicitly.
- b) Minor wording clarifications without substantive change may not require a new dated entry.
- c) Future material changes to these standards will be logged here with their own date.