Full disclosure on blogs
Today the FTC issued guidelines requiring bloggers to disclose when they are being paid (either in wages or free products) by a company that they are writing about.
The new rules are not law: "The Guides are administrative interpretations of the law intended to help advertisers comply with the Federal Trade Commission Act; they are not binding law themselves. In any law enforcement action challenging the allegedly deceptive use of testimonials or endorsements, the Commission would have the burden of proving that the challenged conduct violates the FTC Act."(source ftc press release)
But violation can result in up to a $11,000 fee because there are civil penalties for violatations of FTC regulation and rules.
The new rules are not law: "The Guides are administrative interpretations of the law intended to help advertisers comply with the Federal Trade Commission Act; they are not binding law themselves. In any law enforcement action challenging the allegedly deceptive use of testimonials or endorsements, the Commission would have the burden of proving that the challenged conduct violates the FTC Act."(source ftc press release)
But violation can result in up to a $11,000 fee because there are civil penalties for violatations of FTC regulation and rules.