Thread: FTC Blogger Guidelines Go in Effect today!

Anyone realize that today (Dec 1st, 2009) that the new FTC guidelines for bloggers go into effect.

I've made a Blank FTC Guideline Compliance Template for anyone who needs it and isn't already following the rules (only good for those who don't endorse products/services)

How many here, have already added something to their site to help protect against the $11,000USD fine per violation

This is bull. The FTC makes me angrier as the days go by...

Thanks for the template, though. I'll probably put it up just in case.

Thank God I don't live in the US.

Thanks!

The reverse situation is not that simple though ...

If you receive a review copy, free software, a free service etc you must declare it according to FTC new rules.

Although it is not addressed directly and may be a gray area, it appears that you must acknowledge that you receive affiliate commissions if someone decides to buy a product based upon a review and an affiliate link. It is compensation.

The template does not cover affiliate commissions and if you have no financial ties to an advertiser, you do not even need to make a statement like that. The FTC rules ONLY apply if you DO receive something in return for writing a review, testimonial or endorsement.

What I do not like it the FTC's loose interpretation of an endorsement. What I would call an opinion, they define as an endorsement. If an advertiser or manufacturer gives you a product and you write, "Hey, I tried this out and I really like this product because...", that is an endorsement under the new rules.

I think the only people they are going to go after are those pushing fraudulent medical devices and making wild claims about weight reduction products. I did extensive research on this and it appears that this is why the rulings were modified. They are targeting people pushing products that are doing harm to others. I noticed that the informercials for weight reduction products disappeared in my area in the USA.

Well, today is the day (aint it?), the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines go into effect.

Download the PDF file from here - http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005...esfnnotice.pdf

Bloggers now have to make it clear if they received perks from companies, if they received the items for free, if their endorsement was paid for,,,,,.

Some of the stuff I am not real sure of. So I need to take a look at the guidelines and see what I need to do to be in compliance.

Another thing, I do a lot of video blogging. So how am I going to put that information in the videos? I guess I will have to start adding the information as credits at the end of the video.

Yep, the template posted is only for those not reciving some sort of endorsement from their posting

does this apply to any blogger? or just to us citizens?

Originally Posted by ruben

does this apply to any blogger? or just to us citizens?

The way I see it (and I am not a lawyer) if you deal in the USA, you need to follow our rules and laws.

If your host is in the USA, if you deal with US based companies,,,,,,, then I would follow those guidelines.

"Our" rules.. you mean the rules of a bunch of pretentious bureaucrats who pretend to speak in your name?

These kinds of things are just threats.. "Here is our latest concoction of "rules".. if you don't follow them we'll do this or that to you."

Yeah.. I don't take kindly to threats and I'm not saying anything all that radical. Just look at the file sharing movement. They didn't take very kindly to threats either and they're winning, for all intents and purposes.