Comments on: Bloggers Face $11k FTC Fines For Not Disclosing Paid Endorsements

By: USpace

USpace — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:29:51 +0000

.
Now that’s HOPE & CHANGE I was hoping for! Our government is simply brilliant, some of the smartest idiots in the world!
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
outlaw most bloggers

license all the rest
monitor their writing
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By: Social Media Laws « Brian Pearl Real Estate

Social Media Laws « Brian Pearl Real Estate — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:39:24 +0000

[...] do the rules mean for you? If your social media marketing relies on endorsements and testimonies, you have to reveal any payments or other connections between your blog and the [...]

By: Symptoms Of Panic Attacks

Symptoms Of Panic Attacks — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:10:14 +0000

Yeah I heard something about the FTC regulations on a forum that I visit frequently. It can get confusing sometimes and even scary to think that we could get into trouble for posting certain things on our blogs. I guess this can be a good thing because you have to take into consideration what you want to post. .-= Symptoms Of Panic Attacks´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at =-.

By: Social Media Laws: The New Wild Wild West at

Social Media Laws: The New Wild Wild West at — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:53:27 +0000

[...] do the rules mean for you? If your social media marketing relies on endorsements and testimonies, you have to reveal any payments or other connections between your blog and the [...]

By: Shyam Sundar

Shyam Sundar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:48:35 +0000

I'm blogger but I dont know how this news affects me and at the same time I don't want to get penalised so I better don't want to think about posting on product reviews. .-= Shyam Sundar´s last blog ..Favicons in Gmail =-.

By: Alan Bleiweiss

Alan Bleiweiss — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:14:38 +0000

I’m deep into the new guide PDF – okay, only read 11 pages so far… There’s lots of wiggle room as is typical of regulatory guides, and that means there’s going to be lots of continued debate for people like Guy Kawasaki, or blogs like TC. And of course, the very first example I thought of after those two was the Google Android giveaway that I learned about thanks to @graywolf…

I’m just curious to see how or if any of these are going to change their ways, or instead, wait til Uncle Sam comes knocking ten years after the fact.

* Note – this comment is not to be construed as an endorsement of the blog on which it is made, or for / on behalf of any individual, entity or party which may or may not be mentioned within the comment itself or the article to which it has been submitted.
.-= Alan Bleiweiss´s last blog ..Six Rules for Custom eCommerce SEO =-.

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:54:05 +0000

I’m guessing the FTC will use the Google model. Wait for competitors and rivals to snitch on those that violate the guidelines, then go after those that have multiple fines.

The paperwork involved for one $11k fine is just not worth the FTC’s time, but a blogger with a couple dozen infractions? That’s someone to make an example of.

By: Scott Woodard

Scott Woodard — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:15:08 +0000

A decent idea in practice but enforcement is going to be a nightmare. How much is the FTC going to have to spend to attempt to police this?

My guess is that they make examples out of the first few they prosecute but many bloggers who are already engaged in questionable advertising practices won’t really change, they’ll simply cover their tracks or find a loophole.

By: Oscar Del Santo

Oscar Del Santo — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:31:54 +0000

This reminds me of the famous case we had in England not that long ago with the renowned philosopher Roger Scrutton when it was discovered that he was being ‘sponsored’ by tobacco companies – though he claimed that he never wrote an article he would not have written anyway in relation to smoking and anti-smoking laws.

Full disclosure is always the best policy.
.-= Oscar Del Santo´s last blog ..SEO y PPC: La Unión hace la Fuerza =-.

By: Barry Wheeler

Barry Wheeler — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:58:51 +0000

Disclosure is warranted but will it necessarily work? There’s many A-List bloggers and celebrities that operate outside of the FTC jurisdiction. There is a successful blogging world outside the USA the last time that I checked.

I do agree there has to be proactive disclosure. In fact, some websites here in Canada, including the Government of Canada’s sites do now carry a proactive disclosure statement.

Sure it would be easy for a blogger to hide relationships, especially if consulting on a corporate social media strategy. However, how long will the relationship remain “hidden”? Plus, with many consumers being somewhat mindful of marketing and endorsements, people have become much more in tune to what smells as a pure endorsement and what is an unbiased and uninfluenced opinion of a product.

This does however, change the landscape for many bloggers.
.-= Barry Wheeler´s last blog ..Success Starts with the Relationship =-.

By: Luci

Luci — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:09:40 +0000

I think it’s a good idea, in theory, and it does help out consumers who might not be aware that such deals exist, even though it seems obvious to us (people like my Grandma and mother spring to mind).
As Jaan said, how is this kind of thing going to be policed? I can see lots of high profile blogs being punished and smaller ones getting away with it
.-= Luci´s last blog ..301 Redirects – Search Engine Optimisation Tutorial =-.

By: Matt Cutts

Matt Cutts — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:11:21 +0000

Andy, I haven’t talked to anyone at the FTC about this issue myself; I think they’re doing just fine on their own though. I’m also happy to see the “results not typical” loophole closed on ads, even though that has nothing to do with paid posts. That’s just helpful to prevent consumer confusion.
.-= Matt Cutts´s last blog ..Where have you been in the USA or world? =-.

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:33:12 +0000

Oh snap!

By: graywolf

graywolf — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:20:46 +0000

@mattcutts funny I don’t remember google suggesting any sort of disclosure or FTC compliance when they gave away those android phones a few months ago … people who live in stone houses should be careful when throwing glass #justsayin’
.-= graywolf´s last blog ..Thanks to this Months Sponsors – September 2009 =-.

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:53:32 +0000

Hah! They invented marketers–and we ruined it.

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:53:00 +0000

You read all 81 pages? I tip my hat to you sir!

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:52:22 +0000

I wonder if the FTC will allow very small fonts–like the junk we see at the bottom of TV commercials.

Matt I’m intrigued that you’re weighing in on this. Is this just a passing interest in the “per post” disclosure, or do you have your “Google hat” on. Perhaps Google is softly whispering in the FTC’s ear about using some kind of easily identifiable–and spiderable–disclosure tag?

By: Matt Cutts

Matt Cutts — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:35:24 +0000

If you read what the FTC says, they mention this case: “Example 7 states more clearly that although the blogger has primary responsibility for disclosing that he received the video game system for free, the manufacturer has an obligation to advise the blogger at the time it provides the gaming system that he should make the disclosure in any positive reviews of the system.”

In that last sentence, it seems clear that the disclosure is recommended within the positive review, not just some other page buried away in the site. Certainly if you wanted to be safe regarding these guidelines, clear and conspicuous disclosure within the review would provide that.
.-= Matt Cutts´s last blog ..BusinessWeek articles on Google =-.

By: Michael Martinez

Michael Martinez — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:39:56 +0000

I think disclosure of relationships is reasonable where there is a chance of consumer confusion. Of course, what people dispute or question is where to draw the line that demarcates the chance of consumer confusion. I read the 81-page document and I feel the FTC made some pretty good judgement calls. Some of us will have to get used to a new set of guidelines but marketing adapts and moves on. Business has to flow. .-= Michael Martinez´s last blog ..Why Brent Payne’s PageRank Sculpting report is bogus =-.

By: Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach

Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:06:40 +0000

What ever happened to people doing their own research to make up their own minds? .-= Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog ..Make money by MASTERING Your Niche Part 1 – Keep Proactively Current via RSS =-.