New FTC Rules For Bloggers - Oh Uh!

Posted by admin

October 7, 2009

Seems like the big brother FTC is cracking down on Bloggers. Now with the new ruling, there are changes in the endorsement of products in blogs. So under the new guidelines, any blogger who accept compensation in any form, be it free products or money to write nice things about those products must let known to the readers. Otherwise they will be considered as false advertising and be subjected to prosecution.

You can read the dry stuff here at ftc website on the new FTC rules on bloggers :
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm

Quoted :

… Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service. Likewise, if a company refers in an advertisement to the findings of a research organization that conducted research sponsored by the company, the advertisement must disclose the connection between the advertiser and the research organization. And a paid endorsement – like any other advertisement – is deceptive if it makes false or misleading claims.

How does this affect us? It will hit everyone who is doing any sort of advertisements with testimonials. So now it is sensitive to even give a testimonial unless you can prove that the testimonial is true.

And take a look at this :

In contrast to the 1980 version of the Guides – which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial as long as they included a disclaimer such as “results not typical” – the revised Guides no longer contain this safe harbor.

It used to be that you can say that the results are not atypical… now with the new rulings, you can’t get away with that statement.

Oops! Does that mean it’s the end of the line for bloggers who make a living online with affiliate programs?

I have a feeling that we bloggers are a smart bunch… if they can’t take this path, then they’ll figure another way out!

Note : I am not a lawyer, everything I say here is based on my own opinions and what I researched online. For any law related business, please consult your own legal counsel.

Also I am not working for FTC nor receiving any compensation from them either…*sniggle