Comments on: FTC Gets Stupid And Targets Blogs

By: Mitch

Mitch — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:49:00 +0000

Wil, the FTC has no control over websites anywhere else in the world, so it only pertains to us.

By: Wilson Pon

Wilson Pon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:48:45 +0000

Mitch, I was a little bit confused. Is this FTC’s new rule only good for those websites/blogs hosted on U.S. domains, or it effective on all the websites/blogs from around the world?

By: Mitch

Mitch — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:40:10 +0000

I’m with you on this one, John. Celebrities have started disclosing things, at least on TV, but really, how many celebrities are there who are blogging anyway?

For the rest of us, well, if I ever make it to the point where I’m earning thousands of dollars from advertisers, I think I’d be proclaiming it with pride! lol

By: John Dilbeck

John Dilbeck — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:44:00 +0000

Good morning, Mitch.

I get the feeling that what they’re really interested in is making sure that testimonials are accurate and if they don’t match that of the “average” person using the product that they can no longer hide behind a short statement that it isn’t a typical result.

This would relate to earnings claims, weight-loss claims, health claims, and the like.

Additionally, there are some bloggers that earn thousands of dollars from sponsors and don’t disclose this fact when talking about that sponsor’s products.

So, I don’t think the FTC is interested in us, but in the big names and celebrities.

I don’t know that for sure, but it’s my feeling at the moment.

Still, disclosing monetary relationships and freebies is easy to do, so I don’t think it will have a lot of impact on most bloggers.

Act on your dream!

JD
.-= John Dilbeck´s last blog ..How do the new FTC guidelines affect affiliate marketing? =-.

By: Mitch

Mitch — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:47:46 +0000

Scott, he has a minor right to worry, but a very minor worry at that. The thing is that the FTC is looking at people who write something that seems blatantly like an ad that couldn’t be substantiated, such as those ads where people talk about making $15,000 in 10 days on something and not being able to back it up. And, of course, those folks who do get free things and write glowingly about them, but everyone else says it’s junk.

You know me. I’m not worried about any of it, and if someone decided to try to turn me in for it, they’d easily lose. And I guess that’s pretty much the thing about something like this. We can’t go around fearing what the government or anyone else might do to us when we know we’re doing right. If you know you’re not, then you get caught, that’s another thing.

I did read his post; he’ll be fine. Thanks for sharing the link with me.

By: Scott Thomas

Scott Thomas — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:20:56 +0000

This guy is worried about being held liable for what his says and being sued. Sounds like a real mess to me.

http://jefflynchdev.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/product-reviews-the-ftc-and-bloggers/
.-= Scott Thomas´s last blog ..View 93: St. Lawrence River Panorama =-.