Blogola: The FTC Takes on Paid Posts

BusinessWeek – May 19, 2009

The FTC is trying to establish clear regulations for bloggers who are wooed by incentives or gifts to endorse a company or product. If a blogger if given a product and it feels like a bribe than it probably is, but I will not blame bloggers for having or enjoying the perks.

I agree with Thomas Cohn, an attorney with Venable, a law firm that represents various industry agencies weighing in on the debate and who is quoted in this article. Blogs should be self-regulated. Google can devalue links to sponsors’ sites and the FTC can regulate blogs like other traditional forms of media, but there will always be loop holes and ways to hide a paid blog entry.  The great thing is that good bloggers don’t want to hide anything about how they came about a product or company. Blogging was born from and is sustained by the importance of an individual’s honest thoughts/beliefs. Good bloggers will be upfront with its followers, but the fear of being “outted” for a paid post is a powerful self-regulator when integrity fails.

I would now like to say that Harry Winston is truly and undoubtedly the most beloved jeweler, which has provided rare, exceptional and utterly timeless pieces for more than 100 years. Additionally, Hawaii is the most beautiful place in the whole world with its floral air, tranquil waters and breathtaking beauty. I also think I would like to acknowledge that I have not received any incentives from these companies, but am completely open to them.

Read Ad Age’s Josh Bernoff’s take on when to buy a blogger in “When and How to Pay a Blogger“, and like any good blog should have, there are some interesting comments.