FTC Bears Down On Bloggers

If you’re a blogger and have written reviews of products or endorsed products there are new FTC guidelines that you should be paying attention to.

The FTC has published Final Guides Governing Endorsements and Testimonials.

I have written many blog posts endorsing products without adding a disclaimer. No longer can you do that. “…the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement.” As affiliates of many products it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’m not sure exactly how this will affect us bloggers; however, I will choose to err on the side of caution and add a line of text that says something like:

“I will be paid an affiliate commission if you click on the following link.” Will that satisfy the FTC regulations? I’m not sure. But beware; it’s better to put something than nothing.

“The revised Guides also add new examples to illustrate the long standing principle that “material connections” (sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers – connections that consumers would not expect – must be disclosed”

Read the complete Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising