Advertisers and digital media companies form a new Global Alliance for Responsible Media

Many of the major players in online advertising have come together to create an organization called the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, which is supposed to focus on “digital safety.”In this context, that means safety for brand marketers, who want to ensure that their ads aren’t running alongside hateful, misleading or otherwise controversial content. For example, a number of advertisers reportedly suspended their work with YouTube earlier this year over concerns that the platform’s algorithm was directing viewers to exploitative clips of children. This also comes amidst broader concern over whether social media companies are doing enough to police the content on their platforms.What the Global Alliance for Responsible Media will actually do remains vague, at least judging from today’s announcement, which was made at this week’s Cannes Lions event for advertisers. The organization says its first steps will be to “form and empower an inclusive working group charged with developing a set of initial ideas and prioritizing next steps.”