Comments on: What I Don’t Get about the FTC’s New Blogger Guidelines http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/ Keeping politicians' hands off the Net & everything else related to technology Sun, 27 May 2012 22:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: How to Deal with Blogola: Reputation Incentives, FTC Regulation & a Trust Seal Proposal — Technology Liberation Front http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-66401 How to Deal with Blogola: Reputation Incentives, FTC Regulation & a Trust Seal Proposal — Technology Liberation Front Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:52:36 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-66401 <p>[...] action—even though no such endorsement is required of traditional journalists, as Adam noted. The best response to this was probably this splendid open letter from Randall Rothenberg, [...]</p> [...] action—even though no such endorsement is required of traditional journalists, as Adam noted. The best response to this was probably this splendid open letter from Randall Rothenberg, [...]

]]> By: Blayne Sucks » Blog Archive » Ten Plus Systems http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-64684 Blayne Sucks » Blog Archive » Ten Plus Systems Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:54:46 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-64684 <p>[...] #2: I agree with Adam Thierer: the relatively new FTC rules for bloggers are almost completely [...]</p> [...] #2: I agree with Adam Thierer: the relatively new FTC rules for bloggers are almost completely [...]

]]> By: chez http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-65944 chez Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:32:54 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-65944 <p>I agree, if the FTC is going to police Janet the stay-at-home amateur blogger because she received a free lip gloss and try to hold her to the standards of a professional journalism organization - when this is just a person with a blog and not a publishing company - then she too should be protected under the "First Amendment" excluding her from having to disclosure that she received a $5.99 lip gloss for free. <br><br>As the FTC excludes a publication such as Lucky Magazine or Glamour who have beauty section that feature and recommend products with no written disclosure that they received these items gratis. Most consumers are very educated and they are going to search and read many reviews on a particular product before they purchase, not just Janet's. And if Janet is smart and appreciates her readership she will be truthful and honest with her blog followers or risk losing her audience down the road. <br><br>The majority of blog readers are not stupid and if they see too many "glowing" reviews and a lot of advertising on your website they will figure out that you are being compensated. The 3 or 4 you find with good reviews, you are bound to find some that will tell you otherwise. There is balance out here in the cyberspace, it does work itself out without the need for 81 pages of burdensome regulations from the FTC and you better believe somebody is pulling that regulation apart as we speak and working on the loop-holes!</p> I agree, if the FTC is going to police Janet the stay-at-home amateur blogger because she received a free lip gloss and try to hold her to the standards of a professional journalism organization – when this is just a person with a blog and not a publishing company – then she too should be protected under the “First Amendment” excluding her from having to disclosure that she received a $5.99 lip gloss for free.

As the FTC excludes a publication such as Lucky Magazine or Glamour who have beauty section that feature and recommend products with no written disclosure that they received these items gratis. Most consumers are very educated and they are going to search and read many reviews on a particular product before they purchase, not just Janet's. And if Janet is smart and appreciates her readership she will be truthful and honest with her blog followers or risk losing her audience down the road.

The majority of blog readers are not stupid and if they see too many “glowing” reviews and a lot of advertising on your website they will figure out that you are being compensated. The 3 or 4 you find with good reviews, you are bound to find some that will tell you otherwise. There is balance out here in the cyberspace, it does work itself out without the need for 81 pages of burdensome regulations from the FTC and you better believe somebody is pulling that regulation apart as we speak and working on the loop-holes!

]]> By: chez http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-63694 chez Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:32:54 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-63694 <p>I agree, if the FTC is going to police Janet the stay-at-home amateur blogger because she received a free lip gloss and try to hold her to the standards of a professional journalism organization - when this is just a person with a blog and not a publishing company - then she too should be protected under the "First Amendment" excluding her from having to disclosure that she received a $5.99 lip gloss for free. <br><br>As the FTC excludes a publication such as Lucky Magazine or Glamour who have beauty section that feature and recommend products with no written disclosure that they received these items gratis. Most consumers are very educated and they are going to search and read many reviews on a particular product before they purchase, not just Janet's. And if Janet is smart and appreciates her readership she will be truthful and honest with her blog followers or risk losing her audience down the road. <br><br>The majority of blog readers are not stupid and if they see too many "glowing" reviews and a lot of advertising on your website they will figure out that you are being compensated. The 3 or 4 you find with good reviews, you are bound to find some that will tell you otherwise. There is balance out here in the cyberspace, it does work itself out without the need for 81 pages of burdensome regulations from the FTC and you better believe somebody is pulling that regulation apart as we speak and working on the loop-holes!</p> I agree, if the FTC is going to police Janet the stay-at-home amateur blogger because she received a free lip gloss and try to hold her to the standards of a professional journalism organization – when this is just a person with a blog and not a publishing company – then she too should be protected under the “First Amendment” excluding her from having to disclosure that she received a $5.99 lip gloss for free.

As the FTC excludes a publication such as Lucky Magazine or Glamour who have beauty section that feature and recommend products with no written disclosure that they received these items gratis. Most consumers are very educated and they are going to search and read many reviews on a particular product before they purchase, not just Janet's. And if Janet is smart and appreciates her readership she will be truthful and honest with her blog followers or risk losing her audience down the road.

The majority of blog readers are not stupid and if they see too many “glowing” reviews and a lot of advertising on your website they will figure out that you are being compensated. The 3 or 4 you find with good reviews, you are bound to find some that will tell you otherwise. There is balance out here in the cyberspace, it does work itself out without the need for 81 pages of burdensome regulations from the FTC and you better believe somebody is pulling that regulation apart as we speak and working on the loop-holes!

]]> By: The Progress & Freedom Foundation Blog http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-62955 The Progress & Freedom Foundation Blog Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:01:16 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-62955 <p><strong>IAB's Brilliant Open Letter to the FTC on Blogger Rules...</strong></p> <p>Three cheers for Randall Rothenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) for having the guts to send this splendid open letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz about the agency's ne...</p> IAB’s Brilliant Open Letter to the FTC on Blogger Rules…

Three cheers for Randall Rothenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) for having the guts to send this splendid open letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz about the agency’s ne…

]]> By: IAB’s Brilliant Open Letter to the FTC on Blogger Rules — Technology Liberation Front http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-62954 IAB’s Brilliant Open Letter to the FTC on Blogger Rules — Technology Liberation Front Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:58:46 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-62954 <p>[...] exactly right and it echoes the questions I’ve raised here before.  And his letter just gets better from there regarding the enforcement nightmare presented by [...]</p> [...] exactly right and it echoes the questions I’ve raised here before.  And his letter just gets better from there regarding the enforcement nightmare presented by [...]

]]> By: mwendy http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-62768 mwendy Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:41:16 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-62768 <p>I'm not familiar with the process by which one files such a claim. I guess it would have to conform to the APA - sort of like a petition to the FTC. Or, the FTC does it on its own. Does anyone know - or is it, they know it when they see it?</p> I'm not familiar with the process by which one files such a claim. I guess it would have to conform to the APA – sort of like a petition to the FTC. Or, the FTC does it on its own. Does anyone know – or is it, they know it when they see it?

]]> By: MikeRT http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-62762 MikeRT Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:50:33 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-62762 <p>I'd bet good money that most of the violations that get reported are reported by smug, self-assured trolls who think they're doing a public service by reporting someone with whom they disagree.</p> I'd bet good money that most of the violations that get reported are reported by smug, self-assured trolls who think they're doing a public service by reporting someone with whom they disagree.

]]> By: mwendy http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-62758 mwendy Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:26:39 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-62758 <p>Shouldn't the reputation of the blogger be enough to "police" this? If he / she puts smack out into the blogosphere, aren't there enough voices to smack that smack down? <br><br>"Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech..." How far we've come. Policymakers append a compelling or substantial state interest, and then "narrowly tailor" a speech rule, and the 1st Amendment clear's limitation gets read out of the Constitution. I know, this games has been going for some time. <br><br>Wonder where our buddies at the "Free Press" are on this?</p> Shouldn't the reputation of the blogger be enough to “police” this? If he / she puts smack out into the blogosphere, aren't there enough voices to smack that smack down?

“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech…” How far we've come. Policymakers append a compelling or substantial state interest, and then “narrowly tailor” a speech rule, and the 1st Amendment clear's limitation gets read out of the Constitution. I know, this games has been going for some time.

Wonder where our buddies at the “Free Press” are on this?

]]> By: Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins http://techliberation.com/2009/10/07/what-i-dont-get-about-the-ftcs-new-blogger-guidelines/comment-page-1/#comment-62745 Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:08:20 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=22337#comment-62745 <p>Creating a token print version was one idea I jokingly suggested in one of the podcasts I've done on this topic.<br><br>Simply print out all your blog posts and mail yourself a copy, perhaps sell a few for a penny to friends.<br><br>It's a print version. There's circulation. Technically would fit the description of a print publication, yes?<br><br>It's silly, but it highlights the ambiguity and loopholes you can drive trucks through on this set of guidelines.</p> Creating a token print version was one idea I jokingly suggested in one of the podcasts I've done on this topic.

Simply print out all your blog posts and mail yourself a copy, perhaps sell a few for a penny to friends.

It's a print version. There's circulation. Technically would fit the description of a print publication, yes?

It's silly, but it highlights the ambiguity and loopholes you can drive trucks through on this set of guidelines.

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