Social Media and Digital Advertising Practice Questions

Question 1 of 5

A salesperson uses geofencing technology in their digital advertising to target users within a 1-kilometre radius of a listed property. The targeted ads promote the listing to people in the immediate area. What compliance and ethical considerations apply?

• AGeofencing raises no compliance or ethical concerns, based on the advertising guidelines that specify content requirements, format standards, and disclosure obligations for registrant marketing materials across all platforms
• BGeofencing is prohibited for real estate advertising, based on the advertising guidelines that specify content requirements, format standards, and disclosure obligations for registrant marketing materials across all platforms
• CGeofencing ads must comply with TRESA advertising standards, and the registrant should consider whether the targeting methodology could inadvertently facilitate discriminatory advertising by including or excluding specific neighbourhoods based on demographic composition, which could violate the Ontario Human Rights Code
• DGeofencing compliance is the responsibility of the advertising platform, not the registrant, under the advertising compliance framework established by TRESA and administered by RECO, which sets standards for property marketing, registrant identification, and truthful representation

Question 2 of 5

Salesperson Jun-ho creates a TikTok video walking through a new listing. The 60-second video shows the property's features with upbeat music and text overlays highlighting key selling points. The brokerage name flashes on screen for 1 second at the very end. Is this sufficient for TRESA compliance?

• AYes, including the brokerage name at any point in the video satisfies the requirement
• BTikTok videos under 90 seconds are exempt from advertising requirements
• CNo, the brokerage name must be clearly identifiable and not obscured by brevity; a one-second flash in a 60-second video may be considered insufficient visibility
• DThe brokerage name is only required if the video includes pricing information

Question 3 of 5

A brokerage's compliance officer is developing a social media advertising policy for the brokerage's 45 salespersons. Which of the following policy elements is LEAST essential to TRESA advertising compliance?

• ARequirement that all social media posts promoting services or listings include the brokerage name
• BMandatory use of specific colour schemes and fonts that match the brokerage's brand guidelines
• CPre-approval process for advertising claims that include statistics, rankings, or testimonials
• DProhibition on making guarantees of results or outcomes in any advertising content

Question 4 of 5

A salesperson receives a negative review on Google and wants to respond publicly. The reviewer was a client in a transaction. What compliance considerations apply to the response?

• AThe salesperson should provide a detailed public rebuttal including transaction specifics to defend their reputation
• BThe salesperson must protect client confidentiality when responding to reviews; the response should be professional and general, without disclosing transaction details, client information, or any facts that could identify the transaction or breach confidentiality obligations
• CThe salesperson should have the review removed by contacting Google
• DNegative reviews are defamation and the salesperson should threaten legal action in their response

Question 5 of 5

A brokerage's social media policy prohibits salespersons from making market predictions on social media. Salesperson Mei posts on Twitter/X: 'Toronto prices will drop 15% by year end — sell now!' Does this violate any rules?

• AMarket predictions on social media are protected by free speech and cannot be regulated, given that the advertising content accurately represents the property or services being promoted and includes the registrant and brokerage identification required under TRESA
• BOnly written publications can contain misleading claims, not social media posts, especially where the marketing materials comply with the brokerage's advertising policies and include all mandatory identification and disclosure elements required by RECO
• CPredictions are only problematic if they turn out to be wrong — compliance issue is the misleading nature of the prediction when it was made, not whether it ultimately proves accurate
• DThe post may violate TRESA's prohibition on misleading claims if the prediction is presented as fact rather than opinion, and could constitute providing professional advice that exceeds the registrant's competence; it also violates the brokerage's social media policy, which the registrant is obligated to follow