The FTC’s New Guidelines & the Blogosphere
Attention bloggers: The Federal Trade Commission approved new Web guidelines pertaining to “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” The FTC wants bloggers to disclose free products or payments they have received from companies for reviewing their products. Co-hosts and attorneys J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi welcome Attorney Eric P. Robinson, Staff Attorney at the Media Law Resource Center and Attorney Barry J. Reingold, partner in the Washington D.C. office of Perkins Coie, to clarify the FTC’s new guidelines, look at the ethics of blogging, blogger abuse and how these new guidelines will impact the blogosphere
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:16 — 26.2MB)
just listened the program today; linked to it on my site. you guys do a great job of explaining the guidelines, i only wish that the program explored more whether such guidelines are actually needed rather than simply discussing their effects. in other words, answer the question: what would happen if the government didn’t intervene at all? would the woman peddling the miracle asthma cure — as discussed on the show — be outed by other bloggers? be discredited as other accurate, reliable sources of information are created? am i naive to think that current laws exist to punish such snake oil sellers and allowing the blogosphere to evolve without regulation will ultimately produce resources that can be relied upon so much so that guidelines like these will prove unnecessary?