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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Polices) | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |  |
Basis of Financial Statements and Principles of Consolidation | Basis of Financial Statements and Principles of Consolidation The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. As such, the accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements and these related notes should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2020 included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP. The condensed consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments that, in the opinion of management, are necessary to present fairly the results for the interim periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year ending December 31, 2021. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of BuzzFeed, Inc., and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries, and any variable interest entities for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year figures have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation. | Basis of Financial Statements and Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of BuzzFeed, Inc., and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries. The Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year figures have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation. The Company evaluates its relationships with other entities to identify whether they are variable interest entities (“VIE”) in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation. In August 2015, the Company signed a Joint Venture Agreement (“JVA”) with Yahoo Japan to establish and develop operations in Japan. BuzzFeed Japan will carry out the core BuzzFeed business in the Japanese language for the Japanese market. BuzzFeed Japan is a joint venture owned 51% by the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, BuzzFeed UK Limited, and The Huffington Post Holdings LLC and 24.5% by Z Holdings Corporation and 24.5% by Asahi Shimbun Company. BuzzFeed Japan is included as a consolidated subsidiary in the consolidated financial statements. During 2020 the Company established Ganked Film Inc., a production company created solely for the purpose of producing a single film, which is considered a VIE. The Company is the primary beneficiary of Ganked Film Inc. as it has the ability to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the entity, the obligation to absorb losses, and the right to receive benefits from the entity. As a result, Ganked Film Inc. is included as a consolidated subsidiary in the consolidated financial statements.
Use of Estimates | Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported results of operations during the reporting period. Due to the use of estimates inherent in the financial reporting process actual results could differ from those estimates. Key estimates and assumptions relate primarily to revenue recognition, valuation allowances for deferred income tax assets, allowance for doubtful accounts, fair values used for stock-based compensation, fair values of acquired intangible assets, and useful lives of long-lived assets. | Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported results of operations during the reporting period. Due to the use of estimates inherent in the financial reporting process actual results could differ from those estimates. Key estimates and assumptions relate primarily to revenue recognition, valuation allowances for deferred income tax assets, allowance for doubtful accounts, fair values used for stock-based compensation, useful lives of fixed assets and capitalized software costs.
Business Combinations | Business Combinations Acquisitions are accounted for in accordance with ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”). Accordingly, we make an initial allocation of the purchase price at the date of acquisition based upon our understanding of the fair value of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities. We obtain this information during due diligence and through other sources. In the months after closing, as we obtain additional information about these assets and liabilities, including through asset appraisals, we are able to refine estimates of fair value and more accurately allocate the purchase price. Only items identified as of the acquisition date are considered for subsequent adjustment to the purchase price allocation. We will make appropriate adjustments to the purchase price allocation prior to completion of the measurement period, as required. |
Recent Accounting Pronouncements | Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements On January 1, 2020, we adopted ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820) — Disclosure Framework — Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, an accounting standard that improved the effectiveness of fair value measurement disclosures and modified the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, based on the concepts in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Concepts Statement, Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting — Chapter 8: Notes to Financial Statements, including the consideration of costs and benefits. The adoption of this ASU did not have material impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements. On January 1, 2021, we adopted the amended guidance in ASU 2019-02, Improvements to Accounting for Costs of Films and License Agreements for Program Materials, which aligns the accounting for capitalizing production costs of episodic television series with the guidance for films. As a result, the capitalization of costs incurred to produce episodic television series is no longer limited to the amount of revenue contracted in the initial market until persuasive evidence of a secondary market exists. In addition, under this guidance we test our film costs for impairment on a title-by-title basis or together with other films and series as part of a group, based on the predominant monetization strategy of the film or series. Further, for film costs monetized in a film group, the guidance requires any change to the estimated life of the film or television series to be accounted for prospectively. The guidance eliminates existing balance sheet classification guidance and adds new disclosure requirements relating to costs for acquired and produced films and television series. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements. | Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements On January 1, 2020, we adopted ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820) — Disclosure Framework — Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, an accounting standard that improved the effectiveness of fair value measurement disclosures and modified the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, based on the concepts in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Concepts Statement, Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting — Chapter 8: Notes to Financial Statements, including the consideration of costs and benefits. The adoption of this ASU did not have material impact on the consolidated financial statements. On January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 605, Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), using the modified retrospective transition method applied to those contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2019. The impact of adopting the new revenue standard was not material to our consolidated financial statements and there was no adjustment to beginning retained earnings on January 1, 2019.
Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted | Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which supersedes existing guidance on accounting for leases in Leases (Topic 840) and generally requires leased assets and lease liabilities to be recognized on the balance sheet. The ASU is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact of adopting ASU 2016-02 on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326), which changes the impairment model for most financial assets, including accounts receivable, and replaces the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of credit losses. The guidance is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the timing and impact of adopting ASU 2016-13 on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. ASU 2018-15 is effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption of this guidance is permitted and the amendments in this update should be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. The Company plans to adopt this guidance for the year ending December 31, 2021 and is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on the condensed consolidated financial statements. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The amendments in this ASU simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740, Income Taxes. The amendments also improve consistent application and simplify GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. The guidance is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the timing and impact of adopting the new guidance on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements. | Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which supersedes existing guidance on accounting for leases in Leases (Topic 840) and generally requires leased assets and lease liabilities to be recognized on the balance sheet. The ASU is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the timing and impact of adopting ASU 2016-02 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326), which changes the impairment model for most financial assets, including accounts receivable, and replaces the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of credit losses. The guidance is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the timing and impact of adopting ASU 2016-13 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. ASU 2018-15 is effective for the Company for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption of this guidance is permitted and the amendments in this update should be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. The Company plans to adopt this guidance for the year ending December 31, 2021 and is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on the consolidated financial statements. In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-02, Improvements to Accounting for Costs of Films and License Agreements for Program Materials, which aligns the accounting for capitalizing production costs of episodic television series with the guidance for films. As a result, the capitalization of costs incurred to produce episodic television series will no longer be limited to the amount of revenue contracted in the initial market until persuasive evidence of a secondary market exists. In addition, this guidance requires an entity to test for impairment of films or television series on a title-by-title basis or together with other films and series as part of a group, based on the predominant monetization strategy of the film or series. Further, this guidance requires that an entity reassess estimates of the use of a film or series in a film group and account for changes, if any, prospectively. In addition, this guidance eliminates existing balance sheet classification guidance and adds new disclosure requirements relating to costs for acquired and produced films and television series. The ASU is effective for the Company for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The amendments in this ASU simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740, Income Taxes. The amendments also improve consistent application and simplify GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. The guidance is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the timing and impact of adopting the new guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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