Code of Ethics
I was taught traditional journalism ethics in school and was an early adopter of FTC disclosure guidelines and regulations. As such, my YouTube channel and any potential monetization platforms follow strict policies in terms of sponsorships, gifts and partnerships.
How Are YouTube Video Topics Determined
Each YouTube video is fully written by me, in full, including disclosed sponsor copy or ad reads. The final editorial calendar is controlled by me, as well as all pre and post production. All products shown on the YouTube channel are chosen by me based on considerations about my interests, my audience, scheduling, and trends or newsworthiness.
If a product or software I am reviewing is not appropriate for my audience, I will not post a video on that subject. This includes:
Products or software that are not ready for public use, have multiple errors in use, or are not stable
Products that do not match my genre in mobile tech and security
Products that are not appropriate or family friendly
If a product or software appears to have issues affecting it’s usage, I will reach out to the company or brand to attempt to find a fix or replacement and will share this experience with my audience as necessary. Considerations will be made to cancel a review if the product is found to be unusable or not prepared for consumer shipment.
Reviews are never sponsored.
Dedicated Sponsored Videos
Sponsored videos always include a lower third at the beginning of the video as well as a verbal callout stating that the video is sponsored and by whom. A dedicated sponsored video may include a tutorial or how-to explaining the brand’s product, coverage for a branded event, or a personal usage vlog. The sponsor is permitted to review these videos for approval to ensure all information disclosed, such as specs or pricing, is factual. Dedicated sponsored videos include a monetary transaction.
Integrated Sponsorships
Integrations are usually 60 seconds in length and inserted into a video as a sponsored “embedded ad”. These videos also include verbal disclosure as well as a lower third disclosure at the beginning of the video. The integrated sponsor will be similar to the same topic of the video (ex: the sponsor is a phone charger within a video about a new phone or the sponsor is a VPN within a video about a recent cybersecurity incident) but I have editorial control over these videos and the brand does not have insight into the script of the video, with the exception being their embedded ad. The brand is never permitted to review or control the topic of these videos, but they may be permitted to review the integrated 60 second ad to ensure accuracy of information. Integrated sponsorships include a monetary transaction.
All sponsors for my channel are chosen based on personal experiences, and I am often a customer of said company before I choose or allow them to be a sponsor on my channel. FTC policies are strictly enforced, and I turn down any brands that don’t follow those policies, or any brands that ask me to disregard these policies.
AdSense
Similar to traditional television, Google’s YouTube AdSense Ads appear as commercials either before, after, or during a video. I have no control over the content of the ads. These ads are chosen by Google and may vary from user to user. I have no affiliation with brands shown in AdSense Ads.
Airfare and Lodging
Airfare and lodging costs may be covered by a brand in order to attend their product release event, press / media event, or a trade show. If that is the case, this assistance is appreciated but is not accepted in lieu of traditional sponsorships, which means brands do not have any editorial control over any event coverage. Any coverage of these events is at my sole discretion.
If a brand chooses to cover travel costs and content is creating during this event, that content will include proper disclosures. If a brand chooses to sponsor event coverage monetarily, that content then falls within the description of a dedicated video or an integrated ad.
Review / Sample Devices & Gifted Products / PR Packages
Most products featured on Morse Code are paid for by me. Any devices or products that are not purchased by me are considered review or sample units (“loaners”), which may be returned to a brand upon their request. Brands may send gifted products or PR packages which are not returned. All three classes of devices and products are clearly disclosed verbally in any videos in which they are featured (i.e: “this was gifted”, “this is a review / sample unit”, or “I paid for this device”). After content production, any product that is gifted is either later donated to friends of Morse Code or utilized for personal use. Products that are paid for by me may be resold to recoup costs or used as a trade in for future product purchases.
Name, Image, Likeness Licensing
Brands may approach me to license my content for their own marketing materials. NIL licensing is a paid opportunity and these include a monetary transaction. I do not accept exclusivity agreements or brand ambassadorships if that agreement hinders my ability to cover similar products and/or devices.
TLDR
At the end of the day, my job requires payment for services rendered and in order to pay myself and my team, I do accept opportunities to work with brands that I consider to be a good fit for my audience. While I don’t use my platforms exclusively for paid sponsorships, some content does need to be sponsored in order to make a decent living wage. All partnerships are responsibly disclosed per FTC Guidelines to the upmost of my ability. And if a brand doesn’t like that, quite frankly, I will not work with them.