The FTC Says We All Have Our Price...

No doubt, you may have heard about the new FTC guidelines that it seems will effect bloggers and a need for "full-disclosure". Certainly, it seems to be all the talk on Twitter and various web outlets. If you have not heard about it, here is a bit from the AP story

"The Federal Trade Commission on Monday took steps to make product information and online reviews more accurate for consumers, regulating blogging for the first time and mandating that testimonials reflect typical results.

The FTC will require that writers on the Web clearly disclose any freebies or payments they get from companies for reviewing their products...

For bloggers, the FTC stopped short of specifying how they must disclose conflicts of interest. Rich Cleland, assistant director of the FTC's advertising practices division, said the disclosure must be "clear and conspicuous," no matter what form it will take..."

Now, we have had this discussion before, as to whether, as book bloggers, getting a free book effects our reviews. I will assure you, for what it is worth, that it does not in my case. No matter what the source, if I like it, I like it and if I don't..you will know it. But bottom line, you either believe that or not and quite honestly, that is a decision you have to make for very review, of every product you see online. Is that true with every blogger? Maybe, maybe not. I am sure most of us can name a blog, most likely one we no longer read, where the relationship between the blogger and a publicist or publisher seemed to get a bit too friendly and the 'review' seemed more like an advertisement. You know the old saying...Caveat Emptor. Yes, Buyer Beware, on the internet, even more than elsewhere. I don't have a problem with that.

What I do have a problem with is that so-called "legitimate" news sources do not fall under these rules. Because these institutions have a code of ethics, it seems, and can be trusted to self regulate. Because, I assume, a reporter or an editor can't be bought with free stuff or gifts...right? Hmmmmm....

So, anyhoo, if anyone gives me a free trip to Disney World in return for a review {{hint, hint}}, I will say so. More realistically, I will be happy to make note every time a review is of a book that I was given for free...even if it is one that Bandit gave me for my birthday! He knows I love books but he always tries to influence my reviews...