FTC: Bloggers Must Disclose Payments

[HardOCP News]

The Federal Trade Commission has set out new guidelines for bloggers that receive money or compensation for product reviews.

The new rules are the first update the FTC has made to its guide for testaments and endorsements in advertising since 1980. They bring into sharper focus the relationship of bloggers and brands. The FTC chose not to make a distinction between professional bloggers and amateurs. It also does not differentiate between paying cash and providing product samples.

 

[NKDietrich]

Always nice to know who the shills are, and who are the legitimate reviewers.

 

[Derfman]

Call me a Communist or a Socialist but from the abbreviated part at least it does seem to oust a part of the online community that many of us have taken for granted.

Ever talk to a tech savvy teenager or adult and ask them about a specific product line just to have them tell you to look it up online and read customer or professional reviews?

For those who aren't in the know they will be at least a little bit less mislead. I'm not that easily convinced nor do I put faith in one or my first source for such things, but then again I also don't think everyone is determined to spend 4 hours researching something before they buy it.

 

[CraftyChicken]

IMHO, the problem is this just becomes another tool for the current political cronies to go after enemies and what not. Seriously? Will there be some approved statement that be included, else you face the scorn of the Federal Government?

If the next [H] reviews states "Today we received the Ubba-JK 506XCT from Fabulous Tech and boy, it's great," will they get fined because it wasn't explicit enough that it was a freebie?


Of course, all that goes out the window if they attack Mac-Bloggers...j/k.

 

[Eulogy]

As a person with a small business, getting my product reviewed by someone basically boils down to letting them test it and write it up, good bad or ugly. Being that I'm a no-name to everyone, I freely send out samples to these people.
This almost feels like a kicker to people in my boat. It could be perceived as "Oh they only gave it good reviews because they got it for free" rather than "Hey, that must be a good product".

 

[RussianHAXOR]

IMHO, the problem is this just becomes another tool for the current political cronies to go after enemies and what not. Seriously? Will there be some approved statement that be included, else you face the scorn of the Federal Government?

If the next [H] reviews states "Today we received the Ubba-JK 506XCT from Fabulous Tech and boy, it's great," will they get fined because it wasn't explicit enough that it was a freebie?


Of course, all that goes out the window if they attack Mac-Bloggers...j/k.

I believe its about payment for the review, not getting it for free.

 

[Dev1ant]

As a person with a small business, getting my product reviewed by someone basically boils down to letting them test it and write it up, good bad or ugly. Being that I'm a no-name to everyone, I freely send out samples to these people.
This almost feels like a kicker to people in my boat. It could be perceived as "Oh they only gave it good reviews because they got it for free" rather than "Hey, that must be a good product".

Heh, actually, The magazine company Car & Driver is currently under fire by people.

C&D claimed they drag raced a Chevy II and the BMW X6 M won with a time around 13 seconds (give or take .5). Funny though, you can see clearly in their picture the X6M has its sunroof open during the drag race (poor photoshop skills),the fact that the Chevy II's owner actually hits times in the 9s and the fact that he never participated in such a race with no notification that his car will be used in the magazine.So ya, this will probably shed some light on things for certain people.