What do my fellow Warriors think about this?

[Sven Schoene]

FTC plans to monitor blogs for claims, payments
Is this a problem to us if we make review-pages and put affiliate-links on there?

[AdInventive]

Sorry that's a ridiculous notion. There's no way that they could ever regulate what is said on the internet.

I wouldn't worry about it.

[Jeff Henshaw]

Is this a problem to us if we make review-pages and put affiliate-links on there?

The Energy, Telecoms, Insurance and other industries have long been "reviewed and analysed" by "independent analysts" to establish the most cost effective services for consumers in the UK who visit that site or make other contact, such as by telephone with the entity concerned.

What the UK consumers don't see or know about though, are the vested interests of all concerned - the kick backs and the level of commissions that are given by the industries who are best/highest placed, or highly recommended on the particular site, or when contacted by telephone.


I know this, because I've been in that kind of game. Those providers who are the cheapest, keep their costs down by not getting involved with such “Review” sites - but then, of course, the average consumer never gets to see their offerings/prices when they search these "Independent Review" sites.

At the end of the day though business is business and it's not all bad, consumers visiting such sites, do have the advantage of choosing from a large range of products/services which they otherwise would not of had if they had to research everything themselves and thus can make their own informed decision based on what is recommended.

As for the original poster's question and having read the provided link, I would think that as long as one is providing genuine reviews, having tested the products or services, or having used genuine reviews from reliable third parties who have tried and tested the same, then one (the reviewer) is only giving one's best opinion on a product(s) or service(s) which they are recommending.

Include the usual legal disclaimers though, like this one:

"If I have misunderstood your original post, disregard all that I have written."

Regards,
Jeff.

[Pete Egeler]

Originally Posted by Sven Schoene

FTC plans to monitor blogs for claims, payments
Is this a problem to us if we make review-pages and put affiliate-links on there?

1) The FTC regulates in the US. Doubt that they would have much to do with non-US companies.

2) If you're making claims you can't back up, I suspect no matter where you live, someone will catch up with you.

Bottom line, keep things honest and there's no reason in the world you should have to worry.

Pete

[rohar]

I think there is a problem with some of the reviews that you read - if you read enough you know that they are there just to provide an affiliate link and that the "reviewer" has never actually read or used the product.

Let's face it when you can join a site that gives you ready created reviews to use it hardly seems like the right thing to do..

I prefer to only review products I have read or used. If there is something popular I haven't used then I say that 6 out 10 (whatever) amazon readers liked it and point people to the review page ( yes my affiliate link is there) so that they can make up their own mind. And lets face who know if the reviews written by "real" people are real, honest and truthful

But governments just love to get the big stick out so it may be prudent for a little house cleaning before they come a knocking..
And it would be nice to read 6 different product endorsements during product launches rather than get 6 of the same.

[valerieSONORA]

I don't know how they are going to keep up with monitoring the millions of blogs in cyberspace. They're gonna need a huge staff.

[Kay King]

They'll focus on the businesses - the point is to stop product owners from paying (either with products or cash) for people to post positive reviews on their blogs.

From what I've read it has nothing to do with writing reviews as a sales tactic. The focus is on product owners who provide incentives for others to give a good blurb for their product.

If you're not doing that, no biggie.

kay

[zen_affiliate]

Doubt that they would have much to do with non-US companies.

3FN probably thought the same thing.