WASHINGTON, D.C. — Havas Media Group USA agreed to a federal order resolving allegations that it colluded with other major advertising agencies to impose common “brand safety” standards that restricted ads tied to disfavored political viewpoints, announced the Federal Trade Commission.
The case makes Havas the final member of the so-called Big Six advertising agencies subject to an order resolving the FTC’s allegations of unlawful collusion in the digital advertising market.
The FTC alleged that Havas and other agencies used shared brand safety standards in a way that insulated them from competition and violated antitrust law.
The order bars Havas from entering agreements that set common brand safety standards or restrict advertising based on biased or politically motivated criteria.
The allegations follow similar FTC actions brought in April 2026 against WPP, Publicis and Dentsu. The agency previously resolved related issues involving Omnicom and IPG through an order tied to a proposed merger settlement in September 2025.
The FTC voted 1-0-1 to issue the complaint and final order, with Commissioner Meador recused.
The complaint and final order were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Texas, Utah and West Virginia joined the complaint.
The district court approved and finalized the proposed order, giving the consent decree the force of law.
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