Loading ...A growing but controversial trend on the Internet is receiving a great deal of scrutiny from the government. The trend involves paid or sponsored endorsements, testimonials, and more on blogs and various social media sites. The Federal Trade Commission began investigating these practices earlier this year and announced it would release new rules and guidelines to update the current legislation.
As a result, marketers, advertisers, and bloggers alike are all raising concern. Is it necessary for the government to intervene? A problem does exist since consumers are directly affected by paid and sponsored posts, but is government regulation the answer?
Brian Solis, the Principal of FutureWorks, conducted a study on Facebook to explore possible solutions. He found that while most everyone agreed that disclosure was the key to solving the issue, they could not agree on a standard format.
Will disclosure be included in the FTC’s new guidelines? Could these issues be resolved without government intervention?
Since the FTC is expected to release their guidelines at any time, we might not have to speculate for much longer.
Update 10/6/09: The FTC has released their guidelines as reported by Chris Crum here and here. Stay tuned for a new video on the topic coming soon.
I don’t understand what there is about paid endorsements or testimonials that requires government intervention? Everywhere you look on TV, in magazines, or newspapers is full of endorsements, advertising, testimonials, etc. Are these subject to government regulation? Judging from the amount of infomercials on TV, you can pretty much say whatever you want. Why does the internet warrant special attention? I hope nothing comes of this. Thanks for the article.
Because the government already controls the mainstream media, most newspapers, and most media outlets. I don’t control the internet and talk radio. They don’t control Fox. They don’t like to hear negative comments about their policies. They don’t want the truth to come out. They can try this crap all they want….we know the truth ! We have to vote accordingly if we want change next year. We cannot continue to watch as our rights keep eroding…..
Any involvement in the internet, if you allow ANY “lines” to be drawn, they will do like they do with everything. Standard format? Ha! What a ruse. As soon as you allow the government to make ONE rule, then you are screwed.
The Obama White House “new media” operations Czar recently contracted a technology vendor to conduct an enormous secret program to gather personal information on millions of Americans from Internet social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, according to the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC).
The Obama minions are interested in information such as comments, tag lines, emails, audio, and video that mention — or related to — President Barack Obama.
The sites targeted for surveillance include Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr and others –- any space where the White House “maintains a presence.”
You didn’t like Bush, looking for terrorists? Well, get ready for Obama’s cronies to watch for what you say about him on all the social sites. Don’t say you weren’t warned….. It’s called encroachment…. Go look it up.
If I tell you what I really think about this, will the Government come after me?
I can tell you think *exactly* like me…
Quiet guys – the men in black suits and shades will be knocking any minute.
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The fed is always looking for opportunities to get their nose in business. I experienced this in the franchise industry in the 70′s and the net effect is that they now generate huge sums to state agencies set up to patrol the industry.
Too, the FTC has grown their staffing substantially at a huge cost to taxpayers.
Between the fed and states, they have decided that franchising is a cash cow that is not going away. The value they bring to the table is nebulous, at best.
Because the internet is not going away, I predict that the fed will first require compliance with various rules they promulgate. But the hidden danger is that once they opt to require these disclosures, the next phase will be to require registration of all businesses seeking to operate via the internet. At that point, we can be assured that Big Brother will definitely be not only watching, but participating, in terms of regulation and expense. And, of course, the IRS, judges, lawyers etc. that make up the legal “industry” will once again receive a shot in the arm from a new class of regulation as yet untapped.
Can anyone benefit any more than potential franchisees benefitted from the laws that began to be enacted in the 70′s. Not likely! The problem is in the fact that the buyer is more often tempted to participate in the glitter of the opportunity rather than making prudent and judicious business decisions. And be aware that those complainants are, in most all of the instances, trying to deny any responsiblity for having entered into a transaction without doing their homework.
Once again, our American society is allowing the gov to do our work for us. Problem is, they never will.
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The internet as most of us know it is dying a slow and painful death. The appeal of the internet used to be the LACK of government and business involvement – it was a little bit like the old Wild West…..now it’s sadly been tamed by government, big corporations and the like. It seems inevitable that the government always ends up getting involved in things that they really have no business being involved in.
Someone needs to invent “The Internet – Version 2″!
“We The People…” need to reinvent large portions of the government so it’ll truly serve all of us and our families instead of the congressional clowns, bureaucratic bumblers, and monster multi-nationals. The U.S. Constitution gives “We The People…” the sovereign right to propose amendments to that very document – read and learn about Article V. Congress gets to call a convention, then they’re no longer involved. Amendments are proposed, refined and then circulated to the 50 states for ratification (…that’s a steep slope folks!). Then the amendments become LAW – Example: Balanced Budget, Term Limits, No More Lobbyists, Healhcare Like Congress for Everyone, No Self-Determined Congressional Pay Raises, and/or No More Messing With Our Internet!
Check-out the website at http://www.article-v-convention.com for more information and interesting articles. You might be a delegate to the convention in your state!
Fuck the government.
The court forced a blogger to reveal their identity after they called a model a skank. Then, the govennment gave themselves the power to shut down the Internet whenever they deemed it necessary. Now, they want to regulate free speech in social media?
I think I see which way this is going.
Look at the garbage supposedly government regulated on every other mainstream type of media. Can we really expect the government to do anyone any good regulating the internet (beyond the illegal stuff where laws are already being broken)?
Keep Obama and his money grabbing, anti-American, Socialistic, Big Brother, anti-freedom mitts out of our lives. Get involved with your own community organizing the American way.
Agree with you 100%
Agreed. Totally.
Agree with the above. Let market forces sort this out. If people find out that the stuff they are reading is just advertising speal when it is made out to look like an impartial review or an honest conversation, people will soon switch off and find another site that can be trusted. Thats the beauty of the internet, word will soon get out that a site is a fraud and it is easy for people to find alternative sites. Regulating stuff like this is a slippery slope which leads to corportations and government controlling what can be said on the internet under the cover of “consumer protection”.
Truth is, you can complain about censorship all you want. There are crimes being committed here in the form of advertisements. That doesn’t mean all advertisements; We all know which ones.
You complain about gov’t rules in advertising? There already are rules! Try an f-bomb on national television. How about a live murder? Or a reality show where cons rip off innocent people for the home audience?
This is a multi-billion dollar industry here – an industry that defrauds hard working Americans who are already having a hard time holding onto their homes and feeding their families.
The gov’t has always been here to protect the weak. You can say that if someone is stupid enough to fall for one ad or another that they deserve to be ripped off if you’d like… but that would place you in the same category as the criminals.
Don’t you think people should take responsibility for themselves? If I plan to make a major purchase of an item, any item, shouldn’t I do my homework before making that purchase? DO WE REALLY NEED THE GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE THE WORLD WIDE WEB? Aren’t we facing more pressing issues today? Once they get the foot in the door, where will it stop?
Your missing the point. This is nothing more than the typical standard way the government slides things past the public under the guise of something else they cloak with “good intentions”. Plainly speaking, they use this as an excuse to regulate the web, pass laws to force people and businesses to register in order to use it, etc. but the true reason is gain LEGAL access to the web in order to CONTROL it and its users. Don’t be fooled by the immediate reasoning they give you. Whenever the government is involved two things are always paramount…money and control. The Obama administration is obsessed with control. They want to destroy America as we know it so Obama can become its new dictator…no, I’m not kidding…look at the seal he had made. Have you ever seen him use any know American seal or icon? Never, only HIS. Gaining control over the web will allow him to prevent anyone who doesn’t agree with him a voice on the internet. Mark my words, it won’t be very long before we see voices of discontent disappear from the airwaves and the internet. Look past the curtain and look at what Chavez, Castro, Hitler, and all the other psychotic narcissistic megalomaniacs have done to gain control and WIN elections under the guise of it being the will of the people…but anyone who disagrees with them disappear. We’re not there yet….yet. Obama will use race as his number one ploy to incite division and reasons for military control all the while telling you it’s to control the unrest and violence of the people…all the while it being him who started and controls the violence in order to continue his plan for overthrowing the government. First deflat the dollar by creating massive debt, next raise taxes, next gain control over energy and health care, lastly create his own private military. Don’t believe me…you watch. One more thing…cash for clunkers was noted as having paid only less than 2% of the 4 billion dollars it was given. That leaves roughly 3,920,000,000. Where did all the money go? My guess, to fund his personal military…why else would you need that much money. He also has made statements to the fact he wants to have his own personal military which would be bigger or equal to our own. Once the race and “right wing extremists” issue becomes more of an excuse to create violence his military will appear declaring martial law….martial law throws out the constitution. Don’t believe me…just watch. This guy has created more fear and discontent in 8 months than any other President ever. Bottom line…this isn’t just about controlling just the internet.
This is a very mixed bag of tricks. Yes there are some sites that obviously are deciving and ripping people off using bogus testimonials that they they themselves wrote. Some are obviously buying blog reviews that must be favorable or no payment.
So cleaning that mess up is good.
The problem becomes, how are they going to regulate testimonials for truthfullness? Now that is where it gets scary. People may give a testmonial freely when they don’t have to identify themselves – not many people want their eg dental health insurance or lack of it identified to all the world to see. Take the privacy away, and the testimonials become likely quite rare.
Heck, what happens to people who run shop review scoring programs or product review scoring programs on their sites? What are they suppose to do? ASk everyone who leaves a comment or a star rating to also provide their full name and residential address so that the feds can be notified of their review?
Send shivers down the spine don’t it.
This is the start of the end of FREE SPEECH on the INTERNET…. THEY are taking little steps in thepublic interest !!!1 but what will happen by the next few elections will be CENSORSHIP!!!!!! , CENSORSHIP!!!!. THEN THEY will nkck at your door for making SEDICIOUS, contrary Statements for the Publlic good………… Big brother has Already visited my computers and returned them 2 weeks later !!!!!!!!!!!! because I wrote something that was forwarded to a receipent I did not know .. I got an Apology this time !!!!! but what about next time … my Email was on solid fact and still big brother thyought enought to come out (IN THE country) to visit!! they were very nice but they had been refered by the SECRET SERVICE !!!!!!! NOW i keep hard copies and verification of what I send out … Social networks , Bloggs indeed !!!!! one step away
THAT is my legal opinion ..
There’s a lot of paranoia in here. You all need to relax. Step away from the computer and the caffeine. Go outside and wlk in nature awhile.
Don’t believe everything you hear or read.
Sou people scare me far more than the government does, even more than the Bush government did.
Wow!
Traveling a slippery slope is treacherous, then when the slope is iced over it becomes extremely dangerous. We’re on the slippery slope now, soon the ice will cover that slippery slope if we don’t take immediate action to stop the coming ice storm.
Government intervention doesn’t exist. Government intervention is nothing more than a ruse for first government regulation, then government oversight followed by the most distasteful of all, government take-over. Once government take-over has occurred, there is no return. Want a glimpse of eternity? Look at any federal government program ever enacted.
The problem isn’t exclusive of either political party. Politicians view their job not as governing, but as staying in power, getting re-elected time after time after time. The overall effect has been centralization of power in the hands of a few, the elite, at the expense of the majority. The best way to squash the desires of the majority, silence sources of free speech.
The Internet as we have known it has been the single most important place free speech is practiced by the common men and women of this country without government oversight. That causes the government to fear the Internet, and whatever the government fears it seeks to destroy. What this president used to raise more money than ever before in history is the very tool over which he seeks to gain over-sight.
Tow the line and you’ll be fine. Speak out and you have much to fear. The government no longer wants intelligent discourse, rather blind compliance is sought of private citizens. Government incorrectly believes it knows best how to manage our affairs and plot the course of our lives. We as a free thinking group of people owe it not only to ourselves, but to future generations of Americans, to resist with every fiber of our lives.
Our first opportunity to resist will come at the polls next year. And resist we must. Begin with refusing to nominate any incumbent congressperson for another term. Seek, nominate and elect people from the private citizenship who view elected office as privilege of serving rather than entitlement to a congressional seat. Then insist on term limits for elected officials, two terms for those in the House of Representatives and one term for Senators. Make impeachment and removal from office easier, a tool used to assure those we elect serve the people rather than special interests. Then in 2012 make it a clean sweep, clean Washington of any politician there presently and return government to “We the people”.
Thank you Roy for that statement. I agree with you 100%. It’s vital that we search the records and see which politicians voted for the wrong things during this past two years and to suit his/her needs so they can stay in power and collect large sums of money & favors from lobbyists and other “trash.” We as a people have to kick those BUMS out of office in 2010 and 2012. Make dam sure O’Bama is a one term president or we will be doomed. We must remove Pelosi, Reid and the clintons, all of whom are very dangerous people. When D.C. is rid of much of the vermin that sit in the senate & congress, we can put prayer back in the schools, have the National Anthem sung in its entirety, remove the laws that require our children to learn spanish in school (Like Florida) and enforce already existing laws for illegal immigrants and heavily fine those who would employ them without verification. Make a two-term limit for congressional reps and senators as well. Turn their Social Security in to the same as every American, and NOT give them their salary for life as it is now. People who want to serve their country without trying to break us, should be the ONLY people allowed to run for office. Give our country back to us!!!
The only thing to blame Obamas successful election on is the the Bush administrations deep and widespread failures.
The election of Bush by the blind, and the following his doctrine thereafter.
Left an open door for what we see face today.
You can’t rape the country of it’s privacy, personal liberty and intelligence for 8 years without equally negative repercussions.
Bush (and his administration) was such a failure that it’s effects are spilling over, even today.
So stop whining neo-cons! Because your actions in 2000 and 2004 was directly related to the actions in 2008.
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From another viewpoint, aren’t we failing to give the consumer enough credit for recognizing the “paid endorsement” angle? If I see a celeb pimping a product, I’m pretty sure it’s not out of the kindness of their heart. There’s motive involved as well as remuneration.
Just because the guvment gets involved is certainly no assurance the truth is told! They are, always have been and always will be the biggest liars and disinformation factory on the planet! We must keep them away!
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I fail to see why the same “truth in advertising” laws and guidelines that apply anywhere else can not be applied to the internet as well. Why should there have to be “special rules or laws” for the internet? And the laws that we already have take care of libel, copyright infringement, etc. What is their problem?
The only 2 reasons the feds could want to do these things is
a) Power
b) Money
Don’t forget that the Bush Administration already set up the system whereby our emails are being monitored. The Obama Administration is just a continuation of the very same policies originating from the very same set of NWO masterminds as always. New puppet, same stage, same directors…
Why would they want to monitor us? Because they are scared of us.
Why are they scared of us? Because they are up to no good & have guilty consciences and they are afraid we will stop them, expose them, etc.
Why do they want to know what we are up to? So they can control us, stop us, keep us from stopping them, whatever…
Our rights are being incessantly eroded day by day and policies put into place which will very soon turn us all into nothing but slaves with no rights at all. (Well, basically, we already are in that situation… Or hadn’t you noticed?)
really cool info.
Television shows are starting to add products in the shows themselves because to many people Tivo the commercials. Are they going to be held to the same standards of disclosing sponsorship right after the line in the show? If not I smell a lawsuit brewing!
It comes down to the old saying, “Buyer beware!”.
this applies not just on the internet. It has applied through he ages down from car salesman selling lemons to insurance and even, dare I say it, politicians with broken and betrayed promises.
This is not really much different except that the government seems to be always seeking to take people’s level of responsibility away and make them more lazy.
people need to wake up, be more responsible. If millions of people visited their representatives and pointed out very succinctly that they are only sitting their bums in the chair because they were elected they might get off their bums and handle some responsibility back to the people.
But most people being lazy, woudl rather ‘someone else’ handle it.
not surprising they get more and more control.
Does regulation necessarily amount to censorship? will bloggers lose or gain from the shift to the mainstream?
What happened to freedom of speech?
Once the government gets involved, the next step they will start charging penalties for minor bogus violations. It will end up being a form of revenue.
HANDS OFF! What happened to freedom of the press? Big brother is going to far.
” . . . whatever happened to freedom of the press . . .”
Freedom to lie, mislead, cheat and hawk goods by creating fake news stories or publishing news stories made up by advertisers or governments lying about wars is a freedom they should loose.
They let us down totally and deliberately lied to us often (Fox News). We haven’t forgotten.
“I don’t understand what there is about paid endorsements or testimonials that requires government intervention?” Seriously, you think it’s ok to lie while selling goods?
As I see it first of all the government has plant here as well like the guy who said that people here should. There’s a lot of paranoia in here. You all need to relax. Step away from the computer and the caffeine. Go outside and walk in nature awhile. nor that’s the problem the sheep are always doing this and letting
DC do as they please is out of the question and freedom of business is our right to do! If any one thinks that the government is going to protect them than I have some candy that will heal you of you sickness, 2nd the President only job is the commander of the army nothing more he is not to be in business nor dose he have the title as a king we the people are to hold the Nuts a countable to each of the job title but these nut are telling you and I how we are to live, but the way I see it we are living in Liberty not having a king we did away with the king Gorge in 1776 than people was fed up with the lies of King Gorge and the high tax he put on the people, so come on people where did you learn your history from a cracker jack box.
With every thing going on in this country and the people of the united states are the government but the Feds have spook you into giving in to their rlue.
Before this year is out you will have lost all your liberty and the constitution will be lost into the years ahead because their will not be such a thing in this country No just a command king rule. therefore by you be the way you are it will come down to a war for freedom or be ruled by the NUTS in DC.
hay its time to get these nut out of office and put people in office who value all of our freedoms and also who will keep the oath of office, its time to make our move on the government and take back America and put it back under the constitution and the liberty we should have their is no way that the nuts in DC are to control the people of the united states (never, never) but seeing that the sheep has listing to the master he will always be the sheep.
It like this from Roosevelt to this Nut in office today who thinks he’s God and trying to push all the Bull S” on the will of the people and if we let this this nut keep doing what he is doing we will be his slave and his other nuts along side him kicking your ass around.
so you the government planters you can take your B-S and stick it where the sun don’t shine. Every one needs to put legs on their search for the truth Ya its hard work but its liberty in the end…
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I don’t think it is a good idea to that.:)
How would this be inline with freedom of speech?
Regards,
Alexander
I don’t like this idea. I am running a site for Online Shopping in UK, Europe with Price Comparison, Reviews and Ratings of products. I don’t think it would be good for me.
***I GIVE THIS VIDEO and ARTICLE 5 STARS!***
I do not like this idea because what about our
“FREEDOM OF SPEECH”? I think it is up to each
consumer to decide whether or not that they will
believe everything that they see on the Internet
when it comes to testimonials and ad copies, etc.
If the US Government puts limits on businesses, why
are so many businesses allowed to say whatever they
want to in commericals on TV, YouTube, and Radio, etc?
It does not make any sence to me at all and will only
HINDER marketing efforts made by businesses and will
also HINDER buyers the ability to decide on what they
want to read and buy.
Thank you so much for posting this.
Very good information to know!
Sincerely yours,
Tonya
“I am a Certified eBay Stores
and Website Designer specializing
in Custom Designs and Internet Marketing.”
CEO and Founder of
http://www.TonyasDynamicDesigns.com
http://www.WheresYourBid.com
http://www.1-Dynamic-Design.com
Please follow me on Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook!
http://www.Twitter.com/eBayHomeBizHelp
http://www.Facebook.com/TonyasDynamicDesigns
http://www.MySpace.com/tonyas_dynamic_designs
***I GIVE THIS VIDEO and ARTICLE 5 STARS***
I beleive in “FREEDOM OF SPEECH” for all
people. I do not think that we should
be limited to what we can say.
Sincerely yours,
Tonya
CEO and Founder of
http://www.TonyasDynamicDesigns.com
“I am a Certified eBay Stores and
Website Designer specializing in
Custom Designs, Website Audit/Reviews,
and Internet Marketing.”
This is NOT a freedom of speech issue. These are businesses we’re talking about, NOT people. Business should not be allowed to pay people to deceive other people. Come guys, all of you are consumers, do you like being screwed by businesses?
I mainly use social sites to socally market my safety and security web site and raise awareness for its products. Government needs to back off. We do not need them invading one more area of our lives. Thanks, Abby.
Sorry but we don’t need the Government sticking its fingers into another pie. I dont recall ever buying anything that I read about on a google ad or in a blog. I know how these blogs can be manipulated and chances are, a blog or ad about an ‘incredible weight loss’ is never written by the person you are lead to believe. These things are cut and pasted all over the internet.
Has anybody ever heard of buyer beware? If it sounds too good to be true it usually is? I’m all about protecting the consumer but at what price? People need to use their own brains, make their own decisions and be responsible for their own actions.
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It seems like business is still getting hit hard. Is anybody seeing an upswing in their respective niches? Health reform seems like a mess. I generate long term care insurance leads and annuity leads for the insurance industry, but volume has been terrible in the last two months. I am afraid the worst is yet to come, but maybe it is just my attitude.
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By now, at least one coked-out weirdo has been arrested while wearing nothing but a bluetooth.
As a result, marketers, advertisers, and bloggers alike are all raising concern. Is it necessary for the government to intervene? A problem does exist since consumers are directly affected by paid and sponsored posts, but is government regulation the answer?
Nancy Pelosi has had to turn out to be one of the the majority of liberal people in politics in the particular region. It’s exhausting for us in order to believe how folk can reelect her in their own appropriate intellect.
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