diff --git a/src/api/fragments/SectionData.ts b/src/api/fragments/SectionData.ts
index 8d0d64b3..ee2647cc 100644
--- a/src/api/fragments/SectionData.ts
+++ b/src/api/fragments/SectionData.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ export const BaseSectionData = gql`
     startDate
     endDate
     status
+    followable
+    allowAds
   }
 `;
 export const SectionData = gql`
diff --git a/src/api/generatedTypes.ts b/src/api/generatedTypes.ts
index aa750b71..3d675ff4 100644
--- a/src/api/generatedTypes.ts
+++ b/src/api/generatedTypes.ts
@@ -608,6 +608,8 @@ export type CreateCollectionStoryInput = {
 export type CreateCustomSectionInput = {
   /** Indicates whether or not a Section is available for display. */
   active: Scalars['Boolean'];
+  /** Whether ads can be displayed in this section. */
+  allowAds?: InputMaybe<Scalars['Boolean']>;
   /** The source which created the Section. */
   createSource: ActivitySource;
   /** The description of the custom section displayed to the users. */
@@ -622,6 +624,8 @@ export type CreateCustomSectionInput = {
    * Format: YYYY-MM-DD.
    */
   endDate?: InputMaybe<Scalars['Date']>;
+  /** Whether users can follow this section. */
+  followable?: InputMaybe<Scalars['Boolean']>;
   /** An optional description or supporting text for use in hero modules. */
   heroDescription?: InputMaybe<Scalars['String']>;
   /** An optional title used in hero modules. */
@@ -2165,6 +2169,8 @@ export type Section = {
   __typename?: 'Section';
   /** Indicates whether or not a Section is available for display. */
   active: Scalars['Boolean'];
+  /** Whether ads can be displayed in this section. */
+  allowAds: Scalars['Boolean'];
   /** The source which created the Section. */
   createSource: ActivitySource;
   /** A Unix timestamp of when the Section was created. */
@@ -2183,6 +2189,8 @@ export type Section = {
   endDate?: Maybe<Scalars['Date']>;
   /** An alternative primary key in UUID format. */
   externalId: Scalars['ID'];
+  /** Whether users can follow this section. */
+  followable: Scalars['Boolean'];
   /**
    * An optional description or supporting text for use in hero modules.
    * Relevant for custom sections.
@@ -2539,12 +2547,16 @@ export type UpdateCollectionStorySortOrderInput = {
 
 /** Input data for updating a Custom Editorial Section */
 export type UpdateCustomSectionInput = {
+  /** Whether ads can be displayed in this section. */
+  allowAds?: InputMaybe<Scalars['Boolean']>;
   /** The description of the custom section displayed to the users. */
   description: Scalars['String'];
   /** An optional date of when the Section should stop being displayed. */
   endDate?: InputMaybe<Scalars['Date']>;
   /** An alternative primary key in UUID format supplied by ML. */
   externalId: Scalars['ID'];
+  /** Whether users can follow this section. */
+  followable?: InputMaybe<Scalars['Boolean']>;
   /** An optional description or supporting text for use in hero modules. */
   heroDescription?: InputMaybe<Scalars['String']>;
   /** An optional title used in hero modules. */
@@ -2793,6 +2805,8 @@ export type BaseSectionDataFragment = {
   startDate?: any | null;
   endDate?: any | null;
   status: SectionStatus;
+  followable: boolean;
+  allowAds: boolean;
   iab?: {
     __typename?: 'IABMetadata';
     taxonomy: string;
@@ -2817,6 +2831,8 @@ export type SectionDataFragment = {
   startDate?: any | null;
   endDate?: any | null;
   status: SectionStatus;
+  followable: boolean;
+  allowAds: boolean;
   sectionItems: Array<{
     __typename?: 'SectionItem';
     createdAt: number;
@@ -3393,6 +3409,8 @@ export type CreateCustomSectionMutation = {
     startDate?: any | null;
     endDate?: any | null;
     status: SectionStatus;
+    followable: boolean;
+    allowAds: boolean;
     iab?: {
       __typename?: 'IABMetadata';
       taxonomy: string;
@@ -3635,6 +3653,8 @@ export type DisableEnableSectionMutation = {
     startDate?: any | null;
     endDate?: any | null;
     status: SectionStatus;
+    followable: boolean;
+    allowAds: boolean;
     sectionItems: Array<{
       __typename?: 'SectionItem';
       createdAt: number;
@@ -4338,6 +4358,8 @@ export type UpdateCustomSectionMutation = {
     startDate?: any | null;
     endDate?: any | null;
     status: SectionStatus;
+    followable: boolean;
+    allowAds: boolean;
     iab?: {
       __typename?: 'IABMetadata';
       taxonomy: string;
@@ -5213,6 +5235,8 @@ export type GetSectionsWithSectionItemsQuery = {
     startDate?: any | null;
     endDate?: any | null;
     status: SectionStatus;
+    followable: boolean;
+    allowAds: boolean;
     sectionItems: Array<{
       __typename?: 'SectionItem';
       createdAt: number;
@@ -5472,6 +5496,8 @@ export const BaseSectionDataFragmentDoc = gql`
     startDate
     endDate
     status
+    followable
+    allowAds
   }
 `;
 export const BaseSectionItemDataFragmentDoc = gql`
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionDetails/CustomSectionDetails.tsx b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionDetails/CustomSectionDetails.tsx
index 77c3ed2a..67746f42 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionDetails/CustomSectionDetails.tsx
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionDetails/CustomSectionDetails.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ import ArrowBackIcon from '@mui/icons-material/ArrowBack';
 import EditOutlinedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/EditOutlined';
 import DeleteOutlinedIcon from '@mui/icons-material/DeleteOutlined';
 import AdUnitsIcon from '@mui/icons-material/AdUnits';
+import BookmarkIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Bookmark';
+import BookmarkBorderIcon from '@mui/icons-material/BookmarkBorder';
 import { DateTime } from 'luxon';
 import { useMutation } from '@apollo/client';
 import {
@@ -470,6 +472,40 @@ export const CustomSectionDetails: React.FC<CustomSectionDetailsProps> = ({
                   {section.sectionItems?.length || 0} items
                 </Typography>
               </Grid>
+              <Grid item xs={12} sm={6} md={3}>
+                <Typography variant="caption" color="text.secondary">
+                  Followable
+                </Typography>
+                <Box mt={0.5}>
+                  <Chip
+                    variant="outlined"
+                    color={section.followable ? 'success' : 'warning'}
+                    label={section.followable ? 'Followable' : 'Not Followable'}
+                    icon={
+                      section.followable ? (
+                        <BookmarkIcon />
+                      ) : (
+                        <BookmarkBorderIcon />
+                      )
+                    }
+                    size="small"
+                  />
+                </Box>
+              </Grid>
+              <Grid item xs={12} sm={6} md={3}>
+                <Typography variant="caption" color="text.secondary">
+                  Ads
+                </Typography>
+                <Box mt={0.5}>
+                  <Chip
+                    variant="outlined"
+                    color={section.allowAds ? 'success' : 'warning'}
+                    label={section.allowAds ? 'Ads Allowed' : 'No Ads'}
+                    icon={<AdUnitsIcon />}
+                    size="small"
+                  />
+                </Box>
+              </Grid>
             </Grid>
 
             {/* IAB Category */}
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.test.tsx b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.test.tsx
index 690f41f8..50fa2dcb 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.test.tsx
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.test.tsx
@@ -89,4 +89,49 @@ describe('CustomSectionForm', () => {
       screen.getByRole('button', { name: /save changes/i }),
     ).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
+
+  it('should render followable and allow ads checkboxes checked by default', () => {
+    render(
+      <CustomSectionForm onSubmit={mockOnSubmit} onCancel={mockOnCancel} />,
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole('checkbox', { name: /followable/i })).toBeChecked();
+    expect(screen.getByRole('checkbox', { name: /allow ads/i })).toBeChecked();
+  });
+
+  it('should reflect initial values for followable and allowAds', () => {
+    render(
+      <CustomSectionForm
+        onSubmit={mockOnSubmit}
+        onCancel={mockOnCancel}
+        initialValues={{ followable: false, allowAds: false }}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    expect(
+      screen.getByRole('checkbox', { name: /followable/i }),
+    ).not.toBeChecked();
+    expect(
+      screen.getByRole('checkbox', { name: /allow ads/i }),
+    ).not.toBeChecked();
+  });
+
+  it('should toggle followable and allowAds checkboxes', () => {
+    render(
+      <CustomSectionForm onSubmit={mockOnSubmit} onCancel={mockOnCancel} />,
+    );
+
+    const followableCheckbox = screen.getByRole('checkbox', {
+      name: /followable/i,
+    });
+    const allowAdsCheckbox = screen.getByRole('checkbox', {
+      name: /allow ads/i,
+    });
+
+    fireEvent.click(followableCheckbox);
+    expect(followableCheckbox).not.toBeChecked();
+
+    fireEvent.click(allowAdsCheckbox);
+    expect(allowAdsCheckbox).not.toBeChecked();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.tsx b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.tsx
index fd9cf4bd..9b0e384d 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.tsx
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 import React, { useState } from 'react';
 import { DateTime } from 'luxon';
 import { Formik, Form, Field } from 'formik';
-import { Box, TextField, MenuItem, Button } from '@mui/material';
+import {
+  Box,
+  TextField,
+  MenuItem,
+  Button,
+  Checkbox,
+  FormControlLabel,
+  FormGroup,
+} from '@mui/material';
 import { DatePicker } from '@mui/x-date-pickers/DatePicker';
 import { LocalizationProvider } from '@mui/x-date-pickers/LocalizationProvider';
 import { AdapterLuxon } from '@mui/x-date-pickers/AdapterLuxon';
@@ -51,6 +59,8 @@ export const CustomSectionForm: React.FC<CustomSectionFormProps> = ({
     startDate: DateTime.now(),
     endDate: null,
     iabCategory: '',
+    followable: true,
+    allowAds: true,
   };
 
   const mergedInitialValues = {
@@ -172,6 +182,31 @@ export const CustomSectionForm: React.FC<CustomSectionFormProps> = ({
                 ))}
               </Field>
 
+              <FormGroup row>
+                <FormControlLabel
+                  control={
+                    <Checkbox
+                      checked={values.followable}
+                      onChange={(e) =>
+                        setFieldValue('followable', e.target.checked)
+                      }
+                    />
+                  }
+                  label="Followable"
+                />
+                <FormControlLabel
+                  control={
+                    <Checkbox
+                      checked={values.allowAds}
+                      onChange={(e) =>
+                        setFieldValue('allowAds', e.target.checked)
+                      }
+                    />
+                  }
+                  label="Allow Ads"
+                />
+              </FormGroup>
+
               <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between' }}>
                 {isEditMode && onDelete && (
                   <Button
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.validation.test.ts b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.validation.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..979a7008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.validation.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+import { DateTime } from 'luxon';
+import { getValidationSchema } from './CustomSectionForm.validation';
+
+const pastDate = DateTime.now().minus({ days: 5 }).toJSDate();
+const futureDate = DateTime.now().plus({ days: 5 }).toJSDate();
+const today = DateTime.now().toJSDate();
+
+const baseValidValues = {
+  title: 'Test Section',
+  subtitle: '',
+  startDate: futureDate,
+  endDate: null,
+  followable: true,
+  allowAds: true,
+};
+
+describe('getValidationSchema', () => {
+  describe('create mode (isEditMode = false)', () => {
+    const schema = getValidationSchema(false);
+
+    it('should pass with a future start date', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({ ...baseValidValues, startDate: futureDate }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should fail with a past start date', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({ ...baseValidValues, startDate: pastDate }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should fail with a past end date', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({ ...baseValidValues, endDate: pastDate }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should pass with followable set to false', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({ ...baseValidValues, followable: false }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should pass with allowAds set to false', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({ ...baseValidValues, allowAds: false }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('edit mode (isEditMode = true)', () => {
+    const schema = getValidationSchema(true);
+
+    it('should pass with a past start date', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({ ...baseValidValues, startDate: pastDate }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should pass with a past end date', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({
+          ...baseValidValues,
+          startDate: pastDate,
+          endDate: today,
+        }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should pass with followable set to false', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({
+          ...baseValidValues,
+          startDate: pastDate,
+          followable: false,
+        }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should pass with allowAds set to false', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({
+          ...baseValidValues,
+          startDate: pastDate,
+          allowAds: false,
+        }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should pass with both followable and allowAds set to false', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({
+          ...baseValidValues,
+          startDate: pastDate,
+          followable: false,
+          allowAds: false,
+        }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should still fail if end date is before start date', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({
+          ...baseValidValues,
+          startDate: futureDate,
+          endDate: pastDate,
+        }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should still fail without a title', async () => {
+      await expect(
+        schema.isValid({ ...baseValidValues, startDate: pastDate, title: '' }),
+      ).resolves.toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.validation.ts b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.validation.ts
index bf5cb5bd..f66e5acb 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.validation.ts
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionForm/CustomSectionForm.validation.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ export interface CustomSectionFormData {
   startDate: DateTime | null;
   endDate: DateTime | null;
   iabCategory?: string;
+  followable: boolean;
+  allowAds: boolean;
 }
 
 export const getValidationSchema = (isEditMode: boolean = false) => {
@@ -44,9 +46,7 @@ export const getValidationSchema = (isEditMode: boolean = false) => {
         'not-in-past',
         'Start date cannot be in the past',
         function (value) {
-          // Always enforce start date validation, even in edit mode
-          // This ensures scheduled or live sections always start on or after today
-          if (!value) {
+          if (isEditMode || !value) {
             return true;
           }
           const startDate = DateTime.fromJSDate(value).startOf('day');
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ export const getValidationSchema = (isEditMode: boolean = false) => {
       .date()
       .nullable()
       .test('not-in-past', 'End date cannot be in the past', function (value) {
-        // Always enforce end date validation, even in edit mode
-        if (!value) {
+        if (isEditMode || !value) {
           return true;
         }
         const endDate = DateTime.fromJSDate(value).startOf('day');
@@ -81,6 +80,8 @@ export const getValidationSchema = (isEditMode: boolean = false) => {
       ),
 
     iabCategory: yup.string().trim(),
+    followable: yup.boolean(),
+    allowAds: yup.boolean(),
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionFormConnector/CustomSectionFormConnector.tsx b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionFormConnector/CustomSectionFormConnector.tsx
index 7666931d..161f4cee 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionFormConnector/CustomSectionFormConnector.tsx
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionFormConnector/CustomSectionFormConnector.tsx
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ export const CustomSectionFormConnector: React.FC<
           ? formValues.endDate.toFormat('yyyy-MM-dd')
           : undefined,
         updateSource: ActivitySource.Manual, // Add required updateSource field
+        followable: formValues.followable,
+        allowAds: formValues.allowAds,
         ...(formValues.iabCategory && {
           iab: {
             taxonomy: 'IAB-3.0',
@@ -96,6 +98,8 @@ export const CustomSectionFormConnector: React.FC<
         active: true,
         disabled: false,
         createSource: ActivitySource.Manual,
+        followable: formValues.followable,
+        allowAds: formValues.allowAds,
         ...(formValues.iabCategory && {
           iab: {
             taxonomy: 'IAB-3.0',
@@ -173,6 +177,8 @@ export const CustomSectionFormConnector: React.FC<
             ? DateTime.fromISO(existingSection.endDate)
             : null,
           iabCategory: existingSection.iab?.categories?.[0] || '',
+          followable: existingSection.followable,
+          allowAds: existingSection.allowAds,
         }
       : initialValues;
 
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionTable/CustomSectionTable.test.tsx b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionTable/CustomSectionTable.test.tsx
index c0b2ca96..a2ffeca1 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionTable/CustomSectionTable.test.tsx
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/CustomSectionTable/CustomSectionTable.test.tsx
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ describe('CustomSectionTable', () => {
     createdAt: 1704067200,
     updatedAt: 1704067200,
     scheduledSurfaceGuid: 'NEW_TAB_EN_US',
+    followable: true,
+    allowAds: true,
   };
 
   const mockSectionScheduled: Section = {
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/EditCustomSectionModal/EditCustomSectionModal.test.tsx b/src/curated-corpus/components/EditCustomSectionModal/EditCustomSectionModal.test.tsx
index d1e0b313..5c7dbdaf 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/components/EditCustomSectionModal/EditCustomSectionModal.test.tsx
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/EditCustomSectionModal/EditCustomSectionModal.test.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ describe('EditCustomSectionModal', () => {
       categories: ['IAB1'],
     },
     sectionItems: [],
+    followable: true,
+    allowAds: true,
   };
 
   beforeEach(() => {
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/components/SectionDetails/SectionDetails.test.tsx b/src/curated-corpus/components/SectionDetails/SectionDetails.test.tsx
index e8e3335d..9f0f071e 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/components/SectionDetails/SectionDetails.test.tsx
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/components/SectionDetails/SectionDetails.test.tsx
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ describe('The SectionDetails component', () => {
       updatedAt: Date.now(),
       createSource: ActivitySource.Ml,
       scheduledSurfaceGuid: 'NEW_TAB_EN_US',
+      followable: true,
+      allowAds: true,
     },
     // disabled section
     {
@@ -67,6 +69,8 @@ describe('The SectionDetails component', () => {
       updatedAt: Date.now(),
       createSource: ActivitySource.Ml,
       scheduledSurfaceGuid: 'NEW_TAB_EN_US',
+      followable: true,
+      allowAds: true,
     },
   ];
 
diff --git a/src/curated-corpus/integration-test-mocks/getSectionsWithSectionItems.ts b/src/curated-corpus/integration-test-mocks/getSectionsWithSectionItems.ts
index 63512270..9345be62 100644
--- a/src/curated-corpus/integration-test-mocks/getSectionsWithSectionItems.ts
+++ b/src/curated-corpus/integration-test-mocks/getSectionsWithSectionItems.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ const createSection = (
   sectionItems,
   createdAt: 1704067200,
   updatedAt: 1704067200,
+  followable: true,
+  allowAds: true,
 });
 
 /**