Advertising Disclosure and Editorial Independence

Quick answer: This advertising disclosure explains how HogaToga labels paid and affiliate content across our apps, how-to and mobile-tips coverage. We carry advertising, sponsored content and affiliate links, and we disclose all of them in line with the FTC guidance. Our reviews and ratings are never for sale, and commissions never change our verdict.

Key takeaways

• Scope: covers advertising, sponsored content and affiliate links on HogaToga.
• Labelling: every paid or incentivised placement is clearly marked.
• Affiliate links: may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
• Independence: reviews, ratings and verdicts are never for sale.
• Standard: we follow the FTC endorsement guidelines.

Why we publish this disclosure

Clear disclosure is both a legal expectation and a matter of respect for our readers. You should never have to guess whether something on HogaToga is paid for. This page sets out the kinds of commercial content we run, how each is labelled, and the boundaries that keep our editorial honest. It complements our fuller explanation of how we make money. Disclosure is not a one-off notice buried on a policy page; it is applied on the individual pieces of content it relates to, so you do not have to go looking for it to know what you are reading. We have written this page in plain language on purpose, because a disclosure that only a lawyer can parse does not really inform anyone. If any part of it is unclear, or if you think a particular piece of content is not labelled as clearly as it should be, we want to know so we can put it right.

Advertising

We display advertising across the site. Advertisements are identified as such and are visually separated from editorial content. Advertisers pay for placement in front of our audience; they do not pay for, and cannot obtain, influence over our reporting or reviews.

Sponsored content

We publish sponsored content — branded articles created with or for a company. Each sponsored article is clearly labelled as sponsored so it cannot be mistaken for independent editorial. The sponsor shapes the message in their labelled piece only; independent coverage remains entirely ours.

Affiliate links

Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help fund our coverage. Crucially, affiliate commissions never change our verdict — we link to products because we consider them worth mentioning, not because of potential earnings. We do not rank products by how much they might pay us, and the presence or absence of an affiliate programme has no bearing on whether we recommend something. Where we include an affiliate link, we do so because it points to a product we would have mentioned anyway, and the commission is simply a way to fund the coverage without charging you to read it. Full detail is in our affiliate disclosure.

Product samples and review units

From time to time, companies send products for us to test. Receiving a sample does not create any obligation: a review unit never guarantees coverage or a score. Where a product was supplied for review, we say so in the article, consistent with the FTC endorsement guidelines.

What we do not do

To be unambiguous: we do not sell reviews, ratings or editorial verdicts, and we do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links. We do not accept payment to remove or soften criticism, and we keep sponsored content separate from independent editorial. If a commercial request depends on hiding the arrangement from readers, we decline it.

How to recognise paid content

Look for a clear label — words such as “advertisement”, “sponsored” or an affiliate disclosure near the content. If a placement is paid or incentivised in any way, it will be marked. If you ever find something that seems unclear, tell us via our contact page and we will review it. We treat labelling as a living responsibility rather than a box ticked once, so feedback from readers genuinely helps us keep it clear as formats and content change over time.

Third-party ads and ad networks

Some advertising on HogaToga may be served through third-party ad networks rather than sold directly by us. Where that is the case, the ads are still identified as advertising, but the specific products shown are selected by the network’s systems, sometimes based on general, non-identifying signals, rather than chosen by our editors. We do not control every individual advert a network serves, and their appearance is not an endorsement by HogaToga. We aim to work with reputable networks and to keep ad formats from interfering with the reading experience, and we welcome reports of any advert that seems misleading or inappropriate so we can raise it with the provider. For detail on how a given network handles data, its own privacy policy is the authoritative source.

Gifts, review samples, events and travel

Occasionally a company offers more than a product sample — an invitation to an event, or travel to a briefing, for example. Our approach is the same as with any incentive: accepting it creates no obligation to provide coverage, and a review unit never guarantees coverage or a score. Where any coverage does result from a sample, an event or sponsored travel, we disclose that context in the relevant article so readers can judge it accordingly, consistent with the FTC endorsement guidelines. We do not accept gifts, hospitality or payment in exchange for a favourable verdict, we keep sponsored arrangements separate from independent editorial, and we do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links. If accepting something would compromise honest coverage, we decline it. The guiding question is always whether a reasonable reader, knowing the full context, would still trust what we wrote; if the honest answer is no, then no incentive is worth accepting.

About HogaToga

HogaToga is an independent consumer-technology publication covering apps, how-to guides and mobile tips, produced by a named editorial team whose remit is described on our about page and team page. Our coverage follows a published editorial policy and review methodology, and all commercial content is disclosed under this policy, our affiliate disclosure and the FTC endorsement guidelines. Our reviews and ratings are never for sale, and affiliate commissions never change our verdict.

Frequently asked questions

What does this advertising disclosure cover?

Advertising, sponsored content, affiliate links and supplied review units across HogaToga.

How will I know if content is paid?

Paid and incentivised content is clearly labelled, in line with the FTC endorsement guidelines.

What are affiliate links?

Links that may earn us a commission on a purchase at no extra cost to you. Details are in our affiliate disclosure.

Do affiliate links change your recommendations?

No. Affiliate commissions never change our verdict.

Can a company buy a positive review?

No. Reviews, ratings and verdicts are never for sale.

Do samples guarantee coverage?

No. A review unit never guarantees coverage or a score, and supplied products are disclosed.

Do you sell links?

We do not sell undisclosed or disguised paid links.

How do I report unclear labelling?

Contact us via our contact page or at partners@hogatoga.com.co and we will review it.