FTC’s New Rules For Bloggers and Endorsements Of Products

October 9, 2009

By Jenny

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced on Monday, October 5, 2009 that it has finally approved the last revisions on the guide it will give to advertisers on how to keep endorsements and testimonials in compliance with the FTC Act. The guide will affect Advertisers, Bloggers, and Celebrity endorsers. It will take effect on December 1, 2009.

The guide was last updated in 1980. In that guide a consumer who conveys results with use of a product must clearly define the expected results. In the old guide they could simple say “results not typical.”

The guide has new examples of advertisers and endorsers. This includes blogger and “word of mouth advertisers.” For example, if a blogger makes any type of endorsement of any kind the blogger must publish the “material connections” they have with the advertiser.

Violators would initially be warned but repeat offenders will be fined by as much as $11,000 however FTC said they will focus more on warning those who will violate the rules.

The rules also apply to prominent people using social media. According to the new revised guidelines state that celebrities who endorse a product have to disclose there relationship with the advertisers. This includes endorsements through social networks or talk shows.

What’s your opinion?

Additional Resources

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm

PCWorld broke down the guidelines in a “here’s what you need to know” section. Which included information on blogs, social networking, chat rooms, message boards, and comments.

Popularity: 2% [?]

FTC’s Final Guidelines Governing Endorsements and Testimonials – For Blogger’s Etc There has been a lot of buzz around the internet...
Disclosing Your Endorsements to Your Subscriber List Per FTC Guidelines Let me first start off by saying I AM NOT...
3 Critical Things Blog Site Webmasters Need To Know About The FTC’s New Blog Regs Copyright © 2009 Chip Cooper In recognition of the increasing...
A Shout Out to Some Great Male Bloggers Out There! I wrote a post awhile back entitled “A Shout Out...
Free Site to Help Protect Your Branded Name As an online marketer you more then likely have branded...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tags: ftc guidelines and blogging, ftc guidelines and internet marketing, ftc guidelines and product promotion

Craig Barmore on October 9, 2009 at 6:58 pm

It is about time they updated the rules. There is nothing more disappointing than to read biased reporting. How about the truth. We all go to the net for research to find untrues or sugar coated endorsements, on and on.. Hooray for the FTC!!!!!!

Craig Barmore on October 9, 2009 at 7:01 pm

Bravo Bravo for the FTC! It is about time to update the rules… Hooray!!!!!

Wiliam Oestreich on October 9, 2009 at 7:09 pm

Hi Jenny good to hear from you hope all is well Thanks for a call sometime OK Bill 715-255-8987

Kevin Joubert on October 9, 2009 at 8:38 pm

This is typical, pretty soon this county will be Communist run. The government is selling it’s dept to China, they already own most of Americas major City’s. Believe it! they do. Our government is watching you right now, your phones, GPS, Home phones, internet activity’s,. Is it right, NO. And as for FTC, just another way to collect more funds to bail out all the lies we were told through the greedy politicians on the hill. Think a bout this for a moment, our government is the worlds largest business, They have the worlds best think tanks. All they are doing right now is to think of way’s to generate revenue. With Americans loosing Jobs left and right, Unemployment rates at the highest. Who else can they fine? do you ever hear of them fining them selves? or how about our Government claiming responsibility for it’s wrong doing? Be prepared for higher Taxes that’s all I can say. For the people by the people. We should have the right to vote on such thing’s not them making the rescission for us.

Sorry guy’s but it pisses me off

lawmacs on October 10, 2009 at 1:29 pm

This is very interesting what concerns me most about these updated rules is the motive behind this is it that they are saying we most disclose all our earnings as bloggers so the irs can claim more tax just a thought.
lawmacs´s last blog ..Good Website Design and Content

Anna on October 10, 2009 at 5:07 pm

Thanks for this information Jenny – I hadn’t come across the PC World Link and it looks great. I will add it to the “recommended links” list on my post on this matter.
Anna´s last blog ..FTC’s New Rules for Marketers – Do You Know What to Do?

Siegmar on October 11, 2009 at 6:44 pm

sorry,-for the trouble,- but handcuffs on my wings is ,-#painfull#

Dave in Larryville on October 15, 2009 at 8:35 am

Great information Jenny… nice to find it in one place.

I’m not a fan of government regulation, and so not a fan of the new regulations… BUT…

Nowadays there is a HOARD of self described “Internet Marketers” that have no interest in learning how to do things right, provide real value, and “over deliver”.

They spam e-mail, spam twitter, spam forums and blogs… it can be a real pain in the patootie.

The worst thing about new regulations, especiallly when an agency like the FTC says “we’re not interested in the little guy… if the regs are written to allow prosecution for errors of understanding of the rules, eventually, some “little guy” is going to get scooped up by them.

Oh well Love the NewRu idea BTW. Found you over at Holly’s blog.