ETC AGENCY announces its decision to leave ABA

Maksim Yevgenyevich Katz, mentioned in this article, was entered by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the register of foreign agents on 22 July 2022 (No. 403).

ETC AGENCY has decided to withdraw voluntarily from the self-regulatory organisation Association of Bloggers and Agencies (ABA) and is initiating the termination procedure set out in the association's documents. This is a corporate decision based on our standards of transparency, accountability and clear separation between the position of an industry body and the positions of its individual members.

What is known as of 16 August 2026

On 15 August, Maksim Katz (Maksim Yevgenyevich Katz, included by the Russian Ministry of Justice in the register of foreign agents) published a video titled ‘A note from bloggers against Yabloko’. It discussed an analytical note that the author of the video associated with ABA. We do not embed the video, reproduce any excerpts or use its preview image.

ETC AGENCY did not participate in preparing, approving or signing the analytical note under discussion, did not receive it for approval and did not authorise ABA or any other party to express ETC AGENCY's position in it. We also do not have sufficient verified information to draw conclusions about the origin of the copies circulated online, the final version of the document or the authority of any person who may have signed it.

What ABA said

On 16 August, ABA's official Telegram channel published a clarification by association co-founder Maksim Perlin. It says that the note was prepared by ABA's analytical centre, was expert and analytical in nature, and estimated the potential market value of placements. ABA separately stated that the note did not establish payment or contractual relationships, was not coordinated with all member companies, and did not reflect their individual positions.

We take this clarification into account. It does not, however, resolve ETC AGENCY's questions about how such documents are prepared and used externally, how authorship is identified, and how the position of an SRO is separated from the positions of its members.

Why ETC AGENCY is leaving ABA

An industry association creates value when its members understand how decisions are made, who is authorised to speak for the organisation, and which materials require collective approval. ETC AGENCY considers three conditions essential: verifiable methodology, clear authorship and confirmed authority.

We regret that this situation has created uncertainty and additional reputational risks for market participants. Our decision is not a finding that any law was violated or that any person is at fault. We are stating only ETC AGENCY's own involvement, the circumstances known to us and our corporate decision.

How opacity can become a financial risk

For a brand or agency, a document is not merely text. It is a chain of responsibility: who set the task, which data supported an estimate, who reviewed it and what decisions the material is fit to inform. When these conditions are unclear, the result may include reputational as well as operational costs.

• Paused placements. Teams may temporarily freeze campaigns while they verify the status of documents and counterparties. A pause may move launch dates and delay revenue recognition.
• Additional review. Legal, compliance and security teams spend time reassessing methodology, authorship and authority, increasing transaction costs.
• Budget reallocation. A brand may postpone or redirect spending if it cannot establish the status of a placement or the role of the parties. This can create a risk of a missed contract for an agency, creator or platform.
• A reputational risk premium. Uncertainty increases demands for evidence, guarantees and reporting. Negotiations may take longer and commercial terms may become stricter.

These are possible scenarios, not claims that damage has occurred. ETC AGENCY has no verified data showing that the losses described above have already arisen in connection with the note, and we do not estimate their amount. Our market conclusion is simpler: hidden uncertainty in documents is almost always more expensive than timely disclosure of methodology and authority.

What ETC AGENCY will do next

1. Complete the withdrawal procedure. The agency is initiating the voluntary termination of its membership in accordance with ABA's official process.
2. Separate our position. Neither the note under discussion nor any other materials not approved by ETC AGENCY should be treated as expressing the agency's position.
3. Strengthen documentation. In our projects and influencer campaigns, we will continue to record data sources, calculation methods, limits of conclusions, approvers and the intended use of each document.
4. Remain open to verified updates. If new documentary evidence emerges, we will assess it and update this publication where appropriate.

This statement is not a finding that any law was violated or that any person is at fault. ETC AGENCY reports only its own participation, the circumstances known to the agency and its corporate decision. We are prepared to consider documented clarifications and correct the publication if necessary.