Comments on: Does the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ruling kill Blogging? http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/ Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:31:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Does it matter how bloggers are paid? - RER Group >> Homepage http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/#comment-295 Does it matter how bloggers are paid? - RER Group >> Homepage Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:33:12 +0000 http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/?p=639#comment-295 [...] the FTC’s guidance leaves a lot of question marks (read here for a good look at some of its essential problems) for the blogging community it seems no one is [...] [...] the FTC’s guidance leaves a lot of question marks (read here for a good look at some of its essential problems) for the blogging community it seems no one is [...]

]]> By: Brian wadsworth http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/#comment-294 Brian wadsworth Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:57:50 +0000 http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/?p=639#comment-294 Seems to me that this is yet another case of the traditional establishment trying to 'manage' internet influence as opposed to embracing it properly. We all know that there are major negatives relating to internet content but legislators have not yet grasped the positive potential associated with it. Instead of using outmoded practices in a futile attempt to maintain 'control' they would be better placed embracing the challenge and working with the enablers (eg Google, SEO companies, et al) to self regulate. Or is that wishful thinking? ....... Marketing has always been a 'war'; internet marketing is no different in that respect and so, I believe it will continue. Seems to me that this is yet another case of the traditional establishment trying to ‘manage’ internet influence as opposed to embracing it properly. We all know that there are major negatives relating to internet content but legislators have not yet grasped the positive potential associated with it. Instead of using outmoded practices in a futile attempt to maintain ‘control’ they would be better placed embracing the challenge and working with the enablers (eg Google, SEO companies, et al) to self regulate. Or is that wishful thinking? …….
Marketing has always been a ‘war’; internet marketing is no different in that respect and so, I believe it will continue.

]]> By: Does it matter how bloggers are paid? http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/#comment-293 Does it matter how bloggers are paid? Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:00:17 +0000 http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/?p=639#comment-293 [...] the FTC’s guidance leaves a lot of question marks (read here for a good look at some of its essential problems) for the blogging community it seems no one is [...] [...] the FTC’s guidance leaves a lot of question marks (read here for a good look at some of its essential problems) for the blogging community it seems no one is [...]

]]> By: Oscar Del Santo http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/#comment-292 Oscar Del Santo Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:25:35 +0000 http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/?p=639#comment-292 Matthew, your post reminds me of the infamous case of the notable British philosopher Roger Scrutton and his 'secret' agreement with tobacco companies to influence public opinion in their favour. Otherwise I find myself in agreement with your ine of thinking. Matthew, your post reminds me of the infamous case of the notable British philosopher Roger Scrutton and his ‘secret’ agreement with tobacco companies to influence public opinion in their favour.

Otherwise I find myself in agreement with your ine of thinking.

]]> By: Matthew Kerridge http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/#comment-291 Matthew Kerridge Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:49:54 +0000 http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/?p=639#comment-291 As I see it, the problem is exchanging payment for a guaranteed positive review of a sevice or product. This undermines the very nature of a review and therefore could be seen as potentially misleading. However, in order to stamp out these false reviews, genuine reviews of products or services, that bloggrs have either recieved as a gift or paid for, will be harmed. Where is the harm in recieveing a free product and writing a positive review? As long as the free gift isn't conditional upon a positive review I see no problem. Hopefully the changes to the FTC guides will encourage bloggers to write both positive and negative reviews of products. On a blog with mixed reviews, disclosure of payment or the receipt of a free gift shouldn't cause a negative impact. Other than clamping down on blogs that have nothing but positive reviews, I see no way the FTC can enforce these new changes. As I see it, the problem is exchanging payment for a guaranteed positive review of a sevice or product. This undermines the very nature of a review and therefore could be seen as potentially misleading. However, in order to stamp out these false reviews, genuine reviews of products or services, that bloggrs have either recieved as a gift or paid for, will be harmed. Where is the harm in recieveing a free product and writing a positive review? As long as the free gift isn’t conditional upon a positive review I see no problem.

Hopefully the changes to the FTC guides will encourage bloggers to write both positive and negative reviews of products. On a blog with mixed reviews, disclosure of payment or the receipt of a free gift shouldn’t cause a negative impact. Other than clamping down on blogs that have nothing but positive reviews, I see no way the FTC can enforce these new changes.

]]> By: Yoshimi http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/#comment-290 Yoshimi Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:06:37 +0000 http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/?p=639#comment-290 I don't see how it could be anything but unenforceable. In order to make this work the FTC will have to figure out a way to crawl all blog content on the web, in order to identify posts that meet certain "paid post indicators" these posts will then need to be manually reviewd to determine the likelyhood that they are paid, they will then need to confirm that the blogger is in fact in the USA. After all of that, the burden of proof will lie with them, how do you prove that I accepted payment when there is no paper trail? My lack of receipt for goods does not count. If they manage to jump all of those hurdles, they may acheive a small number of successes at a prohibatively high cost. It will be a PR nightmare, as 1000's will be watching, and waiting to report on every move they make with this. I don’t see how it could be anything but unenforceable. In order to make this work the FTC will have to figure out a way to crawl all blog content on the web, in order to identify posts that meet certain “paid post indicators” these posts will then need to be manually reviewd to determine the likelyhood that they are paid, they will then need to confirm that the blogger is in fact in the USA. After all of that, the burden of proof will lie with them, how do you prove that I accepted payment when there is no paper trail? My lack of receipt for goods does not count.

If they manage to jump all of those hurdles, they may acheive a small number of successes at a prohibatively high cost. It will be a PR nightmare, as 1000′s will be watching, and waiting to report on every move they make with this.

]]> By: Alex Craven http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/#comment-289 Alex Craven Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:01:00 +0000 http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/?p=639#comment-289 yeah thats where my thought process was heading.. will it be trial by witch hunt?? could this descend into tit for tat accusations.. or will it just prove to be unenforceable...?? yeah thats where my thought process was heading.. will it be trial by witch hunt?? could this descend into tit for tat accusations.. or will it just prove to be unenforceable…??

]]> By: Yoshimi http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/search-and-social/does-the-federal-trade-commission-ftc-ruling-kill-blogging/#comment-288 Yoshimi Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:54:00 +0000 http://www.bloomagency.co.uk/blog/?p=639#comment-288 Does this outline how the FTCplan on determining what has been paid for and what hasn't? If I were to blog about hand cream woudl I have to scan in the receipt to prove I had paid for it? What if I'm sent a free sample without a request to review, but then decide to anyway, do I have to disclose that? If Google, with all their expertise & resources are still unable to detect a paid link reliably, how do the FTC expect to be able to detect paid blog posts. I don't think they have the first idea what they are doing. Does this outline how the FTCplan on determining what has been paid for and what hasn’t? If I were to blog about hand cream woudl I have to scan in the receipt to prove I had paid for it? What if I’m sent a free sample without a request to review, but then decide to anyway, do I have to disclose that?

If Google, with all their expertise & resources are still unable to detect a paid link reliably, how do the FTC expect to be able to detect paid blog posts. I don’t think they have the first idea what they are doing.

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