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Can I use social media to promote my business without violating advertising laws in Pennsylvania? What are the requirements?

Using Social Media to Promote Your Business in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania does not have specific laws that prohibit the use of social media to promote a business. However, if you plan to advertise an insurance company, association, society, exchange, or person in Pennsylvania, you must ensure that they have been authorized to do business in the state [1.1].

Advertising Requirements in Pennsylvania

All newspapers of general circulation, official newspapers, and legal newspapers accepting and publishing official and legal advertising are required to fix and establish rates and charges for official, legal, and all other kinds of advertising offered or accepted for publication. Such publications shall furnish, on demand, to any person having use for the same, detailed schedules, stating the rates and charges which shall be deemed to be in force and effect until changed or altered. When changed or altered, such publication shall give the person authorized or required to publish advertising, before demanding or receiving compensation at any increased rate, notice that the rates and charges of such publication for advertising have been changed or abrogated, and that increased advertising rates and charges have been established or fixed [2.1].

All official and legal advertising shall be charged for at an established or declared rate or price per single column, line of reading matter measured in depth by the point system, or at a rate or price per inch single column. When such official and legal advertising is not classified and is not published according to prescribed or recognized forms, and no rate has been established or declared, such rate for official and legal advertising shall not be in excess of the rates usually charged or received by the publication publishing such official and legal advertising for commercial, general, or other advertising [2.2].

No legal proceeding, matter, or case in which notice is required to be given by official or legal advertising shall be binding and effective upon any interested person unless such official and legal advertising is printed and published in the newspapers of general circulation, official newspapers, and legal newspapers defined by this title, in the manner and as required by statute, and by any rule, order, or decree of court, resolution of a corporation, or unincorporated association, or ordinance, rule, or regulation of any government unit, in the proper newspapers of general circulation, official newspapers, and legal newspapers, defined by this title, and a proof of publication is filed of record in such matter or proceeding [2.4].

Conclusion

Pennsylvania does not have specific laws that prohibit the use of social media to promote a business. However, if you plan to advertise an insurance company, association, society, exchange, or person in Pennsylvania, you must ensure that they have been authorized to do business in the state. Additionally, newspapers of general circulation, official newspapers, and legal newspapers accepting and publishing official and legal advertising are required to fix and establish rates and charges for official, legal, and all other kinds of advertising offered or accepted for publication. Such publications shall furnish, on demand, to any person having use for the same, detailed schedules, stating the rates and charges which shall be deemed to be in force and effect until changed or altered. When changed or altered, such publication shall give the person authorized or required to publish advertising, before demanding or receiving compensation at any increased rate, notice that the rates and charges of such publication for advertising have been changed or abrogated, and that increased advertising rates and charges have been established or fixed.

Source(s):
Jurisdiction

Pennsylvania